Bahrain Mirror: Jeroen Beirnaert, the representative of the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC), attended part of the third general conference of GFBTU that concluded on Monday (March 7, 2016).

Beirnaert was supposed to deliver the speech of the ITUC in the opening session of the general conference. His speech; however, was delayed until Tuesday (March 8, 2016) after the security authorities in Bahrain's International Airport detained him for 8 hours and did not grant him a visa to enter Bahrain until Saturday afternoon.

Beirnaert, the Human and Trade Union Rights Coordinator, expressed his happiness for being in the conference and for being able to express support and solidarity on behalf of the International Trade Union Confederation.

At the beginning of his address, he said: "When I started working for the ITUC about ten years ago, I almost immediately started working with the GFBTU and it has always been one of my favorite partners. The work that we have done in my early years, focused mainly on the protection of migrant workers' rights."

"The work, then under the leadership of Sayed Salman, was part of a broader vision to build workers' power, to build a strong, free and independent trade union movement in Bahrain. It was a showing of a strong commitment to build an organization that is as the French call it ‘incontournable' - too strong to ignore," added Beirnaert.

He further stated that the ITUC looks forward to seeing the conclusions of the conference's debates and stressed that the ITUC stands ready to support the Bahrain federation and the new to be elected leadership.

"We all followed closely what happened in more recent years, the democratic protests and the violent repression of the government. And we all witnessed how you fought back and how you managed to get most of our friends reinstated, even though the fight has not finished yet," he highlighted.

Beirnaert also noted: "We are all following with great concern the creation by and the support for the Bahrain Labour Union Free Federation by the government. I can state this very clearly. Our support is for you. Never will the ITUC affiliate a government-orchestrated trade union undermining the activities of a legitimate, free and democratic trade union."

Addressing the GFBTU, he said: "We are proud to have you as an affiliate."

He further commented that, according the ITUC assessment listed in (the Global Rights Index), what is going in the Middle East is the worst in the world when it comes to the respect for freedom of association and collective bargaining rights. "In other words, the environment in which you are operating to organize and defend workers' rights is among the most hostile in the world," Beirnaert explained.

Beirnaert also stressed that according to the ITUC, Bahrain is among countries where human and trade union rights are most at risk. However, it is among those in which the local trade union movement has the intrinsic capacity to achieve real sustainable changes.

"The GFBTU is such an organization that can achieve changes with the support of the global trade union movement if it stays strong."

He said that other countries in that list are Fiji, Cambodia, Swaziland and Guatemala and until recently, Myanmar, adding: "I hope that the shift to democracy and freedom in that country can inspire you and convince you that change is possible."

The representative of the International Trade Union Confederation concluded his address by reiterating the ITUC's support for the GFBTU and solidarity with workers in Bahrain. "Together, we can make Bahrain a better place for workers. Together, we can win! Viva GFBTU - Solidarity forever!" He emphasized.

Arabic Version