Longbeach Declaration

26TH MAY 2005

We, trade union leaders and members representing more than 3 million workers in the mining, maritime, manufacturing, transport, energy and construction industries from the USA, Canada, Chile, South Africa, Japan, Taiwan, Papua New Guinea, New Zealand, Vietnam and Australia;

Having gathered in Long Beach, California from 22nd to 26th May 2005 to consider the commitments we pledged in the Newcastle Declaration of September 2002; and

Having deliberated on the impact of international capital's globalization offensive on our unions, our members, our families and our societies; and

Recalling our recent experience of the most vicious attacks on our members in the Patrick's dispute on the Australian waterfront, the global campaign for justice in Rio Tinto and the attack on the U.S. longshore workers in 2002, we hereby place on record our determination to defend our collective futures.

We are mindful of the fact that workers' rights and security are deteriorating at a rapid pace. Violence and intimidation against workers and their trade unions continue. Colombia remains a killing field for trade union activists. The recent attack against Jorge Silva Beron of the Chilean dockworkers and the arrest and murder of Ko Moe Nuang from Burma bear testimony to the need for a global response to the brutality against workers. We have condemned and will continue to condemn these brutal actions against our fellow brothers and sisters every time they occur.

We note that the globalization of capital is creating a race to the bottom for all workers across the globe.

We are witnessing the consolidation and increased power of ownership and control of corporations in the resources, commodities and transportation sectors. They are doing this through an aggressive campaign of mergers and acquisitions. In the process, quality jobs won by us over decades of struggle are being destroyed in one country by anti-union offensives and work transferred to low-wage countries in a "race to the bottom."

In an attempt to attract investment, many governments are colluding with bosses to deregulate the labor market through bilateral trade negotiations and regional free trade agreements.

In the global production and supply chain, China has emerged as a global economic power. In opening up its huge labor market to foreign multinationals, China has emerged as the world's largest producer of cheap consumer goods. Multinational corporations (MNCs) such as Wal-Mart are exploiting the pool of cheap labour and causing massive job losses in the countries of their traditional areas of production and supply, leaving only low-paid, non-union jobs with no benefits.

The influence of the Wal-Mart corporate culture is being felt in all forms of bargaining. The working people of China and other developing economies are our natural allies and we will spare no effort in building cross-border solidarity with them.

We will continue to demand that all trade agreements contain a social clause that, among others, respects fundamental workers' rights to organize and bargain collectively.

The consolidation and domination of global logistics and transport industries by large transnational companies is an obstacle to fair trade rules and social justice for workers and their families.

Workers in the mining, maritime, manufacturing, transport, energy and construction industries have a proud tradition of mobilizing for unity and struggle both locally and globally. The industries in which our members work are essential to international trade and the economic development and wealth it creates.

We condemn the monopolistic and exploitative practices of these MNCs and will spare no effort in building alliances in solidarity with workers in all countries to defend our rights, to challenge their dominance and to realize decent labor conditions.

Citizens are becoming increasingly aware and resentful of corporate greed and excess because of the negative impact it has on their daily lives. Multi-million dollar executive salaries are offensive when workers' wages, health benefits and pensions are being eroded and grinding poverty is increasingly pervasive in our global community.

The transport chain has emerged as the industry that is vital to all nations' economic interests. Therefore our actions can have a significant impact on the increasing attack on workers and unions in the national and international transport sectors. As delegates gathered here in Long Beach, we pledge that we will not allow this offensive to degrade and diminish the rights of our brothers and sisters in those industries.

Workers' interests are increasingly undermined by commercial media that pursues a pro-corporate agenda. Our unions need to urgently embark on mass education programs that assist workers to counter this offensive. We recognize that without this mobilization we will not be able to properly realize an effective response to this systematic abuse and undermining of our rights.

We stand behind our slogan of "An Injury to one, is an Injury to all." THE WORKERS UNITED WILL NEVER BE DEFEATED. This conference particularly identifies the need to mobilize all our members to participate and act in support of their union campaigns.

Having participated in the many debates and discussions about our struggles, and having received and endorsed reports from the veterans and pensioners, the women's and the maritime and mining workshops, delegates to this Second International Pacific Rim Mining and Maritime Seminar commit themselves to the following course of action to build our capacity to organize an effective global response.

We will:

(1) Develop a communication network of leaders and rank-and-file activists that will be able to provide a global rapid response to any immediate need arising from political or industrial conflict;

(2) Establish a leadership team to discuss and assist in co-ordinating the implementation of the decisions of this seminar;

(3) Co-operate in the development of education programs for the rank and file to understand the importance of international solidarity for all workers;

(4) Increase the involvement of women in campaigns and community actions;

(5) Increase the involvement of retirees in campaigns and community actions;

(6) Increase the involvement of youth in campaigns and community actions;

(7) Build capacity and power to enable us to engage in global campaigns against MNCs for union recognition;

(8) Identify the appropriate MNC and the appropriate commercial interests in the transport chain to be the targets of our recognition campaigns. WE WILL TAME THEM OR SHAME THEM;

(9) Identify a day when global activities can take place that unite all our members and their communities from east to west;

(10) Develop national and regional organizing networks to promote and develop the determinations of this meeting;

(11) Work with national trade union centers, global union federations and the ICFTU to build support for the decisions of this seminar; and

(12) Convene a further meeting in 2007 to review, consolidate and build on the aims of this meeting.

We dedicate this gathering to Brother Ko Moe Nuang in memory of his dedication and contribution to the ideals we all stand for and strive for. We call on all participants to register their protests will the Burmese Consulate or Embassy in their country as a matter of urgency.