IGBCE’s Third Congress in Hannover concluded last week, and ICEM’s German affiliate passed a strong call for global trade union solidarity.

In a resolution spelling out both the roles of ICEM in the world and EMCEF in greater Europe, the union said the global trade union movement must prove its structures and methods to meet new challenges brought forth by globalisation. The resolution asks ICEM to maximize its efforts to achieve Global Framework Agreements, particularly with IGBCE for such pacts with German multinationals.

Hubertus Schmoldt was re-elected president and a resounding moment to this IGBCE quadrennial Congress came with a moving and emotional farewell speech on 12 October by outgoing German Chancellor Gerhard Schröder, a close friend of Schmoldt’s.