Strengthen united action : Report of Brother Louis Saillant, General Secretary of the World Federation of Trade Unions at the Third World Trade Union Congress. Vienna, October 10-21, 1953. Trade Union Publication Series No. 3

Abstract

The report outlines how the WFTU was formed, and what it does. It has the following chapters: Report of the activity of the WFTU and the tasks arising for the trade unions in strengthening united action of the workers in the fight for the improvement of their living standards and in defence of peace; The important changes which have taken place in the international situation; Record of the Marshall policy, record of poverty for the workers (Higher cost of living; Higher taxes; Lack of full employment, more unemployment; The super-exploitation of the workers and increased capitalist profits; The rich get richer and the poor get poorer); The progress of the workers’ struggles for their demands and the irresistible upsurge of their unity of action; The exemplary economic and social development in the socialist camp; A new aspect of the struggles of the workers on an international level – The defence of social security; The WFTU and UNO; The need to defend, consolidate and extend trade union rights and to ensure democracy throughout the trade unions; The importance of well-directed trade union work on the question of wages and against unemployment; The fight for peace, the decisive task for all trade union organisations; To achieve unity of action among the workers and pave the way for trade union unity is the basic task of the WFTU; International solidarity – The basis of all activities of the WFTU.