The International Confederation of

Arab Trade Unions /  ICATU / in brief

Foundation:

The International Confederation of Arab Trade unions “ ICATU” was founded in Damascus, the capital of The Syrian Arab Republic, on the 24^th of March 1956 as a result of the meeting held by the leaders of seven Arab trade union organizations.

ICATU is the framework that expresses unity , struggle  and destiny of the Arab working class… It’s recent headquarter is in Damascus.

Objectives:

The Constitution of the Confederation had defined thirty-two goals for the affiliated Arab trade union movement … and here is some of the basic objectives.

      1.         To defend the rights and interests of the Arab working class and its union movement and to try to develop its living-standard as well as to reactivate the class’ participation in the process of construction and progress in its countries and the Arab homeland as a whole.

      2.         To boost brotherly relations among workers in the Arab homeland within the framework of ICATU and to strengthen bilateral collaboration and coordination between the  Confederation and the affiliated organizations as well as to encourage relations with other national popular, vocational confederations and organizations with the aim to serve common rights.

      3.         To guarantee the labour right, unemployment elimination and equality for all Arab laborers as well as to protect the right of the Arab labourers to work and transport through  Arab homeland  and to ensure equality in rights and duties with the workers of the host country.

      4.         To guarantee the right of union organizing and collective bargaining in addition to boost tripartite dialogue among production parties  on local and national levels, and to prevail and preserve democracy through ensuring right to strike, expression freedom and to protect human rights and individual and public liberties.

      5.         To develop labour contribution to administration in order to achieve democracy and to confront all forms of bureaucracy.

      6.         To assert right of women to find a job and gender equality , and to boost women’s role in society and contribution to union activities and pave their way to hold union responsibilities at all levels.

      7.         To take care of working youth and to encourage them to involve in the trade union activities.

      8.         To pay attention to disabled and old workers in addition to fight child labour in accordance with Arab and  international labour standards.

      9.         To cooperate with Arab and international organizations and councils to exert efforts with the aim to guarantee the rights of Arab migrant workers in foreign countries and foreign workers in the Arab countries.

    10.      Cooperation with the national, regional and international confederations , organizations and councils whose objectives are accordant to ICATU’s.

    11.      To root and develop international labour solidarity and to contribute to international union movement’s unity as well as to struggle for the common vital issues with the aim to achieve prosperity , democracy  and socio-economic  development.

    12.      To resist discrimination policies based on ethnogeny , gender and religion.

    13.      To exert efforts in order to avoid wars and the use of weapons of mass destruction with the aim to achieve peace and security in the world.

Membership and Bargaining Position:

        ·          There are thirty-seven million Arab workers belong to the International Confederation of Arab Trade Unions which is an Arab, regional labour organization with consolatory  membership for Asian and African regions within the framework of ILO.

        ·          ICATU has ties of cooperation and solidarity with different trade union centers on national , regional and international levels… this position boosted its bargaining stand.

        ·          All labour federations in  the Arab countries in addition to ten Arab vocational federations of 25 million Arab workers are affiliated to ICATU.

        ·          ICATU is completely an independent organization that has no links with any official regime or political party or any other union orgnaization. It has diplomatic  immunity. Its fund resources are from its members and unconditional gifts.

ICATU’s Structure and Councils:

# Congress:

It is the highest authority in ICATU , it holds regular sessions each five years upon an invitation from the Central Council where each national federation is represented by a number of members in accordance with its member workers.

The Congress holds urgent sessions in response to the Council’s decision taken by two-third majority of member organizations.

It previously held ten regular conferences – the last was held in Damascus in 1999.

# The Central Council:

-         It consists of two members from each member organization, and one observer from each Arab vocational federation as well as the committees of child and Arab working women, and Arab youth as observers.

-         It has five-years term and holds regular session yearly and it may hold urgent session in cases adopted by constitution.

-         The head of the current session is Brother Izzedin nasser, the  president of General Federation of Syrian Trade Unions ( the council elects president in its first session after General conference).

# The General Secretariat

ICATU’s General Secretariat consists of the General Secretary and assistant General Secretaries who must work full-time at  General Secretariat’s headquarters and comply with the confederation’s objectives and decisions taken by its constitutional councils and to achieve goals when the Central Council is absent.

The 10^th General Conference which was held late in 1999 elected Brother Hacene Djemam from Algeria as General Secretary for a third term .

The General Secretariat consists of eight assistant General Secretaries  besides the General Secretary… their current positions are as follows:  

- Brother “ Rajab Maatouk”: Deputy General Secretary and Secretary of International Relations “ Libya”

- Brother “ Toumeh Al-Jawabra “ : Secretary  of Arab Relations “Syria “

- Brother “ Sabri bader “: Secretary of Information and Publication “ Palestine”

- Brother “ Fadel Zeidan”: Secretary of Culture “ Iraq”

- Brother “ Hussein Al-Bahlouli”: Secretary of Administrative and Financial affairs “Yemen”

- Brother “ Tajessur Shukrallah “ : Secretary of Specialized  Committees and Legislation affairs “ Sudan”

- Brother “ Salah Brour” Pan-Arab Vocational Federations “ Tunisia”

      - Brother “ Mohammed Khreisat” : Secretary of Economic and Social

 affairs “ Jordan.

Confederation’s Committees and its Tasks:

ICATU has consultative and specialized committees that hold meetings every year at least, in response to invitation from the General Secretariat who supervise  the meetings… These committees are:

# Consultative Committees:

1-     The committee of Arab and international relations:

   It consists of those who are in charge of Arab and  international relations in the affiliated organizations . it gives advice to the General Secretariat in this respect.

2-     The Committee of Economic and social affairs:

   It consists of those who are in charge of these affairs in the affiliated organizations . It offers advice to General Secretariat in this respect.

   3- The Committee of  Labour and Legislation:

          It consists of people in charge of labour and legislation at the member organizations. Its mission is to review legislations concerning labour and laboureres with the aim to unify these legislation  to serve interests of Arab labourers. It also gives advice to The General Secretariat in this respect.

  4 – The Committee of Culture and Information:

        It consists of people in charge of culture and information at member organizations. This committee gives advice to the General Secretariat concerning activities of labour culture ( training courses, seminars, culture books) and ICATU media publications ( “Arab Workers “ magazine – regular bulletins ) that reflect activities of the confederation.  

5-        The Committee of Arab Labour Vocational Federations:

     It consists of general secretaries of Arab vocational federations and have the function to review vocational and general conditions of those federations.

6-        The Committee of Working Youth:

      It consists of those who are interested in youth affairs at member organizations . Its role is to review working youth situations and to give advice to the General Secretariat in this respect.

    The General Secretariat is authorized  to allow those who has experience to participate in the activities of this committee with the aim to develop its work and serve vital issues of Arab labourers.

The Specialized Committees:

These committees are formed by a decision taken by the Central Council which defines work system, structure and roles of a certain committee.

1-     The Committee of trade union rights and freedoms:

This committee is considered the corner stone of ICATU’s activities with reference to item /58/ of the constitution.

-         It consists of twelve members nominated by the Central Council with only one member from each organization.

-         It convenes at least once a year upon a call from the General Secretariat .

-         The role of this committee is to look into complaints directed by the General Secretariat in accordance with the adopted rules as well as to follow up the issue of trade union rights and freedoms in the Arab homeland.

2- The Committee of Child and Arab working Woman:

-         It is formed by decision taken by the Central Council with reference to the item / 59 / of ICATU’s constitution.

-         Its members are women who are in charge of working woman at member organizations and at Arab vocational federations.

-         It convenes once a year upon a call from the General Secretariat and elects a chairwoman and vice- chairwoman  for a  one year term that may be renewed.

The Function of The committee:

# To urge member organizations to found committees for working women at all union levels and to develop the present ones.

# To pay greater attention to issues of working woman and reactivate women’s contribution to general and trade union activities.

# To  set up studies and researches concerning situations, issues and worries of working woman in addition to the ways  to address these issues.

# To propose formulations and methods of establishing relations between ICATU and Arab and international organizations concerned with woman issues.

# To try to establish and develop relations between national trade union organizations and woman organizations  in those countries in order to get mutual coordination and cooperation concerning working woman issues in accordance with the circumstances of each organization.

# Commitment and contribution to implement  objectives, decisions and recommendations of ICATU.

# To follow up recommendations issued by the committee.

The Arab Institute for Labour Studies:

The Institute located in Al-Deemas” area near Damascus; the Syrian  capital. It was inaugurated on December 1999 on the occasion of the confederation’s 10^th general conference. This institute was a gift from the late Syrian president “ Hafez al-Assad”.

Departments:

The Institute consists of three departments:

1-     Administration and lectures’ department.

2-     Accommodation department.

3-     Administration and training department which includes:

1st-           Studies and researches department.

2nd-        Culture and setting up department.

3rd-        “Vocational and environmental safety at work”          department.

-         The study department contains:

 # Director General office.

 # Assistant Director General office.

 # Administration Offices.

 # Two study halls, each may host 30 persons.

 # Library and reading hall that hosts 40 persons.

 # Auditorium that is capable to host 80 persons.

 # Two halls for break.

-         Hotel Department:

     It includes 42 double-room and a restaurant for 120 persons.

  Objectives:

  Arab Institute for labour studies has the following goals:

-         To deepen and develop working class ‘ trade union realization and to extend labour culture , to exchange experiences in order to improve performance.

- To preserve trade union rights and freedoms , to exert efforts to respect and implement Arab and international labour standards especially the ILO declaration of Fundamental principles and rights at work.

- To cooperate with similar national and international institute in order to serve  mutual interests of trade union movement.

Arabic Center for Trade Union Rights and Freedoms:

ICATU  General  Congress adopted , in 1995 , the charter of “ Trade Union Rights and Freedoms” and “ economic and social demands”

The General congress also adopted establishment of the Arabic center for trade union rights and freedoms” that affiliates besides ICATU Arab, popular and vocational organizations concerned in civil society and social equality.

Its objectives include :

-         To defend  the right to organize with the aim to exert union activity , collective bargaining , signing of collective work contracts , contribution to enact national legislations concerning labour and labourers… and to protect labourers’right to organize strikes and protests.

-         To defend trade union leaders and organizations in courts, as well as to work with NGOs in order to achieve economic, social and legal progress in the Arab homeland and abroad.

Trade Union Relations for Solidarity and Mutual Cooperation:

The future tendencies based on constitution and stands of Arab trade union movement, and that was adopted during the 10^th General Congress, asserted that :

-The recent stage is distinguished by negative effects in social, economic and political reality embodied by U.S. hegemony as the sole super power, cancerous extention of the multi-national companies, hegemony of the “ Market Economy” or “ New Liberation “ and the socially unjustified benefit.

It is the duty of the trade unions to confront the challenge imposed by the globalization tracks and to use technologic progress and communication   revolution to serve the human kind interests.

-         It is the responsibility of ICATU to reactivate concerned trade union councils and international organizations in order to extend communications , solidarity and mutual cooperation in defense of labourers and their organizations as well as to maintain social peace , security and progress.

-         It is taken for guarantee that situations and experiences of the world’s trade union movement are different… and this diversity is a positive and healthy factor in order to regain consideration for trade union work.

The International Confederation of Arab Trade Unions “ ICATU has made great steps on the international level where its sights and stands are respectable and appreciated from the international trade union movement at all levels:

# The United Nations – U.N.

ICATU contributes to U.N meetings and conferences or that of non-governmental  organizations NGOs.

# International labour Organization  - ILO :

ICATU is an ILO consultative member for Asian and African regions… it has cooperation ties with ILO within the framework of principles and values committed  by ILO as well as its technical programme through which it offers help and advice  for the interests of Arab labourers.

# International Trade Union Centers:

ICATU has  close relations with regional and international trade union centers:

-         World  Federation of Trade Unions – FSM / WFTU

-         World Confederation of Labour – CMT / WCL

-         International Confederation of Free Trade Unions – CISl / ICFTU

# Regional Trade Union Centers:

-         Organization of African Trade Union Unity – OUSA/OATUU

-         Trade Union Center of Labourers in Latin America – CLAT

-         General Confederation of Trade Unions – GCTU- Moscow

-         European Trade Union Confederation – ETUC – Brussels

-         Brotherhood of Asian Trade Unions - BATU 

-         Asian Trade Unions Congress – ATUC

-         Regional Center of African Trade Unions – AFRO

-         International Center for Trade Union Rights and Freedoms-ICTUR

# Contacts and dialogue between ICATU and LO witnessed prominent development … and there is a process  of cooperation and solidarity and fraternal  visits between the two organizations in order to coordinate stands and  activities that serve the interests of labourers.

# ICATU is a member in the Euro-Med. Trade Union Forum… ICATU also tries to activate and promote Arab-European and Med- European trade union relations with the aim to serve the mutual interests of labourers and people in the two regions.

- ICATU has close relations with a lot of national trade union centers in all continents including Canada, Venezuela, Brazil, Argentina, Bolivia, Guatemala and Cuba in America … and in Europe it has distinguished relations with many trade union centers and confederations in Italy, Spain, Portugal, France, Turkey, Cyprus, Greece, Belgium, Norway and Sweden.

Our confederation tries to develop relations with confederations in Britain, Germany and other West-European confederations.

ICATU’s relations with the trade union confederations in Eastern Europe and Central Asia witnessed a considerable  development as well as in South Eastern  Asia and the Far East like China, Japan , Indonesia, Malaysia Philippine, Thailand, India, Pakistan , Iran and others.

ICATU also has good relations with some African  trade unions especially in Ethiopia, Kenya , South Africa, Ghana and others.

ICATU exerts efforts to strengthen  its relations on the basis of mutual respect and serving labourers’ interests in cooperation with different trade union movements in the world.

ICATU believes in open dialogue with different national, regional and international trade union  centers with the aim to confront challenges imposed by changes that the world is witnessing today… and for  this purpose , it receives dozens  of delegations every year in Damascus.

# ICATU heads the international Secretariat for Solidarity with labourers and People of Palestine with the aim to restore their rights, to return and establish the Palestinian independent state with Jerusalem as a capital.

The mentioned Secretariat affiliates the following trade union confederations: WFTU- WCL- OATUU – GCTU “ Moscow” and the trade union confederations of China, India, Brazil and Palestine.

# ICATU tries to pay attention to the issues of migrant   workers either Arab or foreign workers and exerts efforts to solve their problems and to organize seminars and other activities to fight any form of discrimination or racism against those workers.

-         International  Center of Trade Union Rights and Freedoms: ICTUR

   ICATU is one of the founders of / ICTUR / based in London and participates in all its executive councils in Geneva and other meetings.

    ICATU considers this center as an important achievement in order to follow up and preserve trade union rights.

At Arab level:

ICATU is a member of Arab labour organization and it attends the meetings of its administration council and takes part in its annual General Congress

       ICATU has good relations with the Arab League / AL / and Arab Monetary Fund  and now it tries to be a member in the Arab Ministerial Social and Economic Council.

       ICATU also has good relations with the Pan- Arab vocational confederations like Arab Parliamentarians confederation, Arab Lawyers confederation  , Arab Farmers confederation  and the confederations of Youth, students and women.

ICATU pays attention to retired labourers and exerts efforts to organize them in all Arab countries as well as to form an Arab confederation for retired labourers with the aim to serve interests and organize entertainment programs for them.

# Information:

      ICATU issues an Arab language magazine every three months, a weekly Arab bulletin and an English language bulletin… and now its trying to launch an internet Web site.

ICATU is also interested in issuing  books and cultural publications.

The Trade Union Confederation of Maghreb workers:

# It is a sub-regional trade union council that affiliates  trade union confederations of : Mauritania , Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia and Libya.

        It tries to coordinate efforts and activities among these confederations and it is affiliated to ICATU and adopts regulations and programs that go in the same direction with its objectives based on article / 65 / of   ICATU’s  constitution.

Finally, ICATU General Secretariat extend compliments for all national, regional and international trade union organizations and all friendly non-governmental and vocational organizations and call upon them to contact us if you need any further informations concerning ICATU’s activities at Arab and international levels.

Address: Damascus – Al –Tahrir Square

               P.O.Box: 3225

               Syrian Arab Republic

               Phone numbers: 00963.11.4444974 / 00963.11.4459544

               Fax: 00963.11.4420323

               E.Mail: icatu @net. sy

Objet: Dans lequel s’engage votre université au développement d’une collaboration  et / ou d’un parainage , y compris l’ofre de soutien et le conseil scientifique et administratif, pour assurer le démarrage et le bon fonctionnement de la dite université ou d’une ou plusieur sections

Création Commission:

-            Le Secrétaire Général de la CISA. Mr. Hacene Djemam.

-            Le Secrétaire résponsable d’éducation Mr. Fadhil Zeidan

-            Le Secrétaire résponsible de l’action professionnelle Mr. Saleh     Brour.

-            Le Secrétaire Résponsible des Commissions spécialisées Mr. Tajesser Shukrallah.

-             3 professeurs de la faculté de l’économie de Damas , professeur Dr. Salah Bakjaji ( ancien ministre ).

-       Professeur Dr. Adnan Toucmeh, éxpert du fond Arabe.

-       Professeur Dr. Mamoun Challah

-       Un Professeur de la faculté des sciences Professeur DR. Fouad Igel

-       Un Professeur de la faculté des ingénieurs informaticiens de Damas Dr. Basel Khecheh .

-       Un Professeur de l’Institut  supérieur des sciences appliquées et de téchnologie Dr. Radhi Khazen

-       Maitre Radi Rabah – avocat.

-       Mr. Nour Eddine Soukouti Conseilleur international à la CISA – coordinateur.

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