Berlin, 21/08/2001 (Agence Europe) - At its meeting held in Berlin on 11 August to prepare its first world congress, also scheduled in Berlin from 5 to 9 September, the UNI (Union Network International) launched an appeal to the World Trade Organisation to open its doors to trade unions. "The lesson of Seattle and Genoa must be: more dialogue. People and not only multinationals, must perceive the advantages of globalisation, and this should be a key goal of the negotiators of the European Union"., said Philippe Jennings, UNI General Secretary according to a press release.
Some 1,400 trade unionists from throughout the world are expected at the Berlin Congress, which will be preceded by a world women's conference and be on the subject: "For people in the global economy". German President Johannes Rau will open the Congress, which will be chaired by the President of UNI, Kurt Haaren.
UNI was created in January 2000 to "reflect on the growing convergence of industries like telecommunications and the media", and represents 15 million members from 1000 trade unions of 40 countries, says the press release.