ITUC, ITUC-AP endorse Herrera’s constitutional succession as TUCP prexy

MANILA, March 21 (PIA) — The International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) and its regional organization for Asia and the Pacific (ITUC-AP) formally extended unequivocal support to Former Senator Ernesto Herrera as constitutional president of the Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP).

During a TUCP Special Convention held at the historic Club Filipino, San Juan, Metro Manila, ITUC-AP General Secretary Noriyuki Suzuki said “on the basis of our analysis of the situation and in consultation with ITUC General Secretary Sharan Burrow, the ITUC and the ITUC-AP are happy to endorse your constitutional succession to the TUCP Presidency, along with the support of the ITUC-AP Regional Executive Bureau.”

Herrera, for his part, pledged a new dawn for TUCP, the Philippine labor movement, and international solidarity actions. Herrera, a former TUCP Gen. Secretary, succeded the presidency after Pres. Democrito Mendoza resigned from his post on Nov. 1, 2011.

In separate statements, the American Center for International Labor Solidarity (Solidarity Center), Union Network International (UNI-APRO), and Danish Trade Union Council (LO-FTF) expressed equal support for Herrera.

Jamie Davis, Solidarity Center Country Program Director for Indonesia and the Philippines, in a letter on behalf of the Solidarity Center and American Federation of Labor-Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO) to Herrera and delegates to the TUCP Special Convention said, “We applaud your efforts to seek ways to revitalize and strengthen the TUCP given the many challenges that workers face in this day and age of globalization.”

The Special Convention tackled urgent amendments to the TUCP Constitution, elected TUCP officers and members of the Executive Board, and welcomed seven new affiliates to the TUCP fold. (FEA/REM/TUCP/PIA-Surigao del Norte)