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It was also the most participatory ITF congress ever. View our facts and figures.
ITF president Paddy Crumlin was re-elected unopposed, while Steve Cotton was installed as general secretary. Watch Cotton’s acceptance speech.
There was praise from Crumlin for Ekaterina Yordanova of congress hosts the Federation of Transport Trade Unions in Bulgaria (FTTUB). He said: “What a great congress it has been and we couldn’t have done it without you, Ekaterina. We made a commitment to leave the Bulgarian trade union movement in a stronger position when we left and that has happened because people here now know the strength of this family.”
The ITF congress adopted a four-year work programme, focussing on organising key hubs and corridors, leveraging key industry players, activating mass union membership and responding to geographic shifts.
One of the key focuses of the conference was maintaining the right to strike as workers across the world continue to struggle for better rights and conditions.
Mr Cotton said that over the past four years a new social consciousness had begun, with uprising all across the globe and that the trade union movement would continue to provide the answers.
“Globalisation affects us all and it affects no group more than those working in the transport industry, so to achieve its mission of improving the lives of millions of transport workers across the planet the ITF needs to truly think globally,” he said.
For the first time ever congress featured a timetable of fringe events with everything from Cuba solidarity to world music covered. See reports of these events as well as each section and departmental conference in the congress updates section of the congress 2014 website.
You can also view participant reporter updates with reports, comments and pictures from congress delegates