The RMT, which has more than 80,000 members in many sectors of the transport industry, has long held a position against the European Union, and in the recent referendum they campaigned to leave the E.U. Rather than using the term ‘Brexit’, they used the term ‘Lexit’, meaning they advocated leaving the E.U. for left wing reasons, not the right wing reasons that were raised by some leaders of the Brexit campaign.

Hoyle explains their position in this interview.

If the subtitles don't appear by default, click ‘CC’ on the YouTube video for subtitles.

#DurbanSouthAfrica #Durban #EuropeanUnion #Brexit #Lexit

Fight Back! spoke with Ulises Guilarte de Nacimiento about the changes in U.S.-Cuba relations.

(The interview is in Spanish – if you don't see the English subtitles, press “CC” to see them)

#DurbanSouthAfrica #Durban #Cuba #WFTU #CTC #Americas

Durban, South Africa – 1500 delegates from class-struggle unions from over 110 countries gathered in Durban, South Africa on Oct. 5 to begin the 17th Congress of the World Federation of Trade Unions (WFTU). The WFTU represents 92 million workers in 125 countries.

The gathering is hosted by the Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU), the historic trade union federation that helped lead the fight to defeat apartheid.

Delegates were welcomed by COSATU president Sdumo Dlamini, WFTU Secretary General George Mavrikos, and then were received with a speech by the president of South Africa, Jacob Zuma. There were speakers in several languages from unions leading important, large struggles around the world, including India, Brazil, France, Indonesia, Chile, Ecuador, Lebanon and many more. Union leaders from socialist countries China, Vietnam and Democratic People’s Republic of Korea also spoke to delegates.

The WFTU 17th Congress is organized under the themes of “Struggle, internationalism, unity; Forward for the attainment of contemporary needs of the working class, for the emancipation of workers, against poverty and wars generated by capitalist barbarity.”

Speaker after speaker paid homage to the historic anti-apartheid struggle of the workers and people of South Africa. Delegates from African countries particularly expressed the importance of having this world Congress in Africa and particularly in South Africa, with its long history of struggles for national liberation and working class emancipation. The hundreds of COSATU members present brought the spirit of their struggle to the Congress, frequently leading the group in songs and chants from the South African anti-apartheid and workers’ struggles.

The Congress will meet for two more days, with speakers from many more countries, leadership elections, resolutions and cultural events.

#DurbanSouthAfrica #Durban #International #ClassStruggle #PeoplesStruggles #WorldFederationOfTradeUnions #SouthAfrica #WFTU

Durban, South Africa – With the themes of “struggle, internationalism and unity”, the World Federation of Trade Unions (WFTU) is preparing for its 17th Congress in Durban, South Africa Oct. 5-8.

The WFTU is an international trade union federation of more than 100 countries with a membership of more than 92 million workers. It aims to build a militant, class-oriented, internationalist, democratic trade union movement.

The WFTU holds a congress every five years. This year’s congress is hosted by South Africa’s trade union federation, the Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU).

This congress of WFTU will be attended by more than 70 trade unions formations from Latin America, Asia, Africa and Europe. There will also be a delegation of trade unionists attending from the U.S.

The congress will conclude with a mass workers rally at the Curries Fountain stadium on Oct. 8. As part of the closing ceremony, a workers’ memorial plaque will be unveiled at the Curries Fountain stadium.

The class-oriented and revolutionary trade union movement under the banner of WFTU will use this opportunity to reflect and come out with responses to the challenges facing the working class all around the world and also to consolidate and strengthen the principles of working class internationalism and universalism.

The congress will afford the workers an opportunity to pay the greatest homage to the foundational figures of the South African trade union movement such as Moses Mabhida, JB Marks, John Nkadimeng, Eric ‘Stalin’ Mtshali, John Taolo Gaetsewe, Billy Nair, Wilton Mkwayi, Mark Shope, Joe Molokeng, Ray Alexander, Stephen Dlamini, Leslie Masina, Leon Levy and many others who pioneered COSATU’s predecessor SACTU.

#DurbanSouthAfrica #Durban #WorldFederationOfTradeUnions #WFTU #COSATU

Durban, South Africa – Protesters flocked to the U.S. consulate here, March 22, on the tenth anniversary of the abduction of Dr. Siddiqui and her three children in Karachi, Pakistan.

The picket drew widespread interest from thousands of motorists and pedestrians. The demonstration was extremely vocal and passionate chants of “Free Free Aafia!” echoed through one of the busiest streets in the city. The protesters demanded an end to the oppression and injustices against Dr. Aafia Siddiqui and demanded her repatriation to Pakistan.

National coordinator for The Aafia Foundation, Inayet Wadee, addressed the crowd, saying the U.S. administration has a pathetic human rights record and that the national justice and prison system in the U.S. has been linked to widespread human rights abuses.

“We are fully aware of the unlawful arrests, unfair trials, inhumane prison conditions, lack of adequate health care, humiliating and degrading treatment by prison guards and cruel forms of punishment meted out to Dr Aafia Siddiqui,” said Wadee.

#DurbanSouthAfrica #Durban #RacismInTheCriminalJusticeSystem #PoliticalPrisoners #DrAafiaSiddiqui #SouthAfrica