The Congress was structured around 4 major themes, each building on existing struggles and concluding with concrete objectives for the IUF and its members: organizing and fighting for well-paid jobs with dignity, rights and stability; organizing and fighting to make our workplaces safe and healthy; organizing and fighting for equality and diversity; and organizing and fighting for progressive, democratic politics.

Congress mandated the secretariat to continue to expand the scope of its transnational company work. The IUF’s culture of solidarity was highlighted by the enthusiastic reception for the launch of the “We are Atra and Lutfi!” campaign in defense of dismissed union members at the Indonesian subsidiary of Coca-Cola’s regional bottler Coca-Cola Amatil.

The IUF’s commitment to equality in the workplace and in society took an important step forward with a well-attended pre-Congress first-ever meeting of LGBTI Workers and Allies, who will now constitute a formal group within the IUF structures and be represented on its governing bodies. For the first time, a pre-Congress Young Workers’ Conference was held. Young workers will now also constitute a Young Workers’ Committee and be represented on the IUF’s governing structures.

The largest-ever Women’s Conference met before the Congress and revised the IUF Action Program for Equality to take account of new issues and challenges facing women workers and trade unions.

Congress expressed its warm appreciation for the contribution of retiring General Secretary Ron Oswald, who led the IUF since 1997 with deeply felt commitment, inspiration and imagination. Assistant General Secretary Sue Longley was unanimously elected to succeed him as General Secretary. Mark Lauritsen of the UFCW North America was unanimously elected to succeed retiring President Hans-Olof Nilsson of the Swedish Foodworkers.

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