An ambitious action programme, focused on peace, defending democracy and workers’ rights, achieving a new social contract and ensuring climate action based on just transition, has been adopted by the ITUC’s annual General Council meeting in Brussels.

 

The Council adopted emergency resolutions calling for peace for the Kurdish people and condemning the Ecuadorean government for its violent repression of the popular movement against the destructive policies it is implementing at the behest of the IMF.

 

The resolution reads as follows: "The ITUC General Council condemns the Turkish incursion in Syria to attack Kurdish people, with dozens of people already killed and tens of thousands displaced.

 

The offensive started following the decision of US President Donald Trump to desert the Kurdish people, who were instrumental in defeating soWe express our grave concern at the potential for the escalation of the conflict, with the involvement of now be able to re-arm and re-establish.

 

Several hundred fundamentalist fighters being held captive by Kurdish forces are now at large, and there are grave fears in relation to the thousands of others who remain in Kurdish detention.

 

We further denounce the use of armed force by the government of President Erdogan, which is intended to instil fear and to distract from domestic issues within Turkey including electoral setbacks for the governing party and a deteriorating economy.

 

Turkey is listed as one of the ten worst countries in the world for violating workers The global trade union movement stands for peace, against terrorism and for the settlement of disputes through dialogue and negotiation in keeping with the rule of law, and stresses that all parties should resolve their differences through peaceful means.

 

The use of armed force, in particular against civilians, especially women and children, is an affront to humanity, and we are appalled by the killing of Hevrin Khalaf.

 

We call for an immediate cessation of hostilities, for a cessation of selling weapons to Turkey, for the return of those displaced to their homes in conditions of security, and for urgent efforts, including international mediation, to bring permanent peace and enable the rehabilitation of those injured in the conflict, justice for those who have lost family members, and reconstruction of the homes and infrastructure destroyed during the incursion."