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www.rmt.org.uk :: april 2006 :: RMTnews
23
The World Social Forum is a
meeting of organisations and
individuals to discuss
alternatives to privatisation and
corporate globalisation.
It was created to discuss
alternatives to the model of
globalisation pushed forward by
multinational companies and
governments at the World
Economic Forum held each
January in Davos.
This latest gathering included
over 52,000 participants from
all over the world meeting and
exchanging ideas.
As well as the many anti-
globalisation groups, women’s
organisations, campaign groups
and NGOs, there was
representation from a wide
range of trade unions and
worker’s associations from
across Latin America, the US
and Europe.
Venezuelan transport unions,
including the metro workers
union, were a visible presence at
the many demonstrations and
seminars.
I had the opportunity to meet
with government ministers and
Alicia Castro, vice-president of
the International Transport
Federation (ITF).
The ITF also ran two
seminars, one on transport and
terrorism and one on the
challenges of organising facing
unions trying to organise
workers in a globalised logistics
sector.
The seminar on transport and
terrorism was led by Alicia and
focused on recent events such
as the London transport
bombings of last year, the
Madrid Atocha train bombs of
2004, and the events of
September 11, 2001.
Thousands gathered in
Poliedro sports stadium to hear
Venezuela’s president Hugo
Chavez speak.
He congratulated new left
wing Bolivan president Evo
Morales on his recent election
and said it was another sign of
the changing tide in Latin
American politics.
“It is time for an end to US
interference in the affairs of this
region and for an end the global
neo-liberal experiment,” he said.
RMT representatives will be
attending the European Social
Forum in Athens in May.
RMT attends World Social
Forum in Venezuela
Scarlet Harris reports from the sixth
World Social Forum in Caracas