The Union continues to maintain active role at the level of IndustriALL global Union. The 3rd world congress of IndustriALL Global Union with the theme “Amandla, Awethu – United for Just Future” held virtually from 7th to 15th September, 2021.

On 14-15 September, more than 3,000 delegates and observers from more than 100 countries discussed and debated, elected a new leadership and adopted an ambitious action plan for the next four years.  

IndustriALL’s 3rd Congress wa a crucial meeting for the global trade union movement, as it influences the priorities of unions in the mining, manufacturing and energy sectors across the world for the next four years. The conference was held virtually and not in South Africa as planned. However  the spirit of the anti-apartheid struggle was present throughout the congress, with music, historic posters and a video.

Delegates paid a fond farewell to Valter Sanches, who stepped down as General Secretary.  Online elections were held for a new leadership team. Atle Høie, former assistant general secretary, was elected as general secretary. Jörg Hofmann, president of German union IG Metall was re-elected as President. Kemal Özkan was re-elected as assistant general secretary, and was joined by Kan Matsuzaki, electrical & electronics and shipbuilding-shipbreaking sector director at IndustriALL, and Christine Olivier, international secretary at NUMSA.

There are also six new vice-presidents from IndustriALL regions:

  • Asia-Pacific – Akira Takakura, Japan
  • Latin America and the Caribbean – Lucineide Varjao, Brazil
  • Middle East & North Africa – Abdelmajid Matoual, Morocco (2021-2022), HashmeyaAl Saadawi, Iraq (2022-2023), Saleh Kandil, Morocco (2023-2024), Habib Hazami,Tunisia (2024-2025),
  • North America – Anna Fendley, USA,
  • Sub-Saharan Africa Joseph Montesetse, South Africa
  • Europe – Garbinea Espejo, Spain (first two years) Marie Nilsson, Sweden (next 2years).

The Union’s President Comrade John Adaji was elected as Executive Committee Member of IndustriALL as well as Co-Chair of the Sub-Saharan Africa Region. IndustriALL Global Union with Headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, represents 50 million workers in 140 countries in the mining, energy and manufacturing sectors, a new force in global solidarity taking up the fight for better working conditions and trade union rights around the world.