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COSATU Message of solidarity with the Central dos Trabalhadores eTrabalharoas do Brazil (CTB) on the occasion of its 17th anniversary in Sao Paolo,Brazil

The president of CTB, the Secretary General ,International secretary of the
CTB,the leaders from the peace movement, the leaders from Cuba.

COSATU wish to express warm and revolutionary greetings to CTB, our sister
federation from Brazil founded on the 12th 14th December 2007 in the state of Minas
Gerais. Its founding was a product of engagements between unions from very diverse
traditions and independents who were not affiliated at the time, as you celebrate 17th
anniversary , our Federation is celebrating 39th anniversary this month.
As COSATU, we work with our Brazilian counterparts in advancing working class
internationalism in various terrains of struggle, particularly in defending collective
bargaining and workers rights, as well as challenging anti imperialism and wars of
colonial occupation and land dispossessions. This is why we together stand firm in
support of the struggles of the Palestinian people in the struggle against Zionist
occupation and genocide.
The birth of CTB was in a context of deepening class contradictions of capitalism and
neoliberalism which was ravaging workers and deepening the suffering and desperate
conditions of workers. COSATU has worked very closely with our Brazilian comrades in
advancing workplace internationalism and concrete solidarity. COSATU is also proud to
have been an active part of the campaign for the release of President Lula Da Silva
from jail, knowing his record and commitment to the cause of the working class.

COSATU work with CTB in the WFTU and through ITUC, where both federations are
actively engaged, where we together take up issues affecting workers in our specific
countries and in the global south as a whole.
BRICS Trade Union Forum (BTUF) is another very important terrain where we together
engage in issues of industrialisation for job creation and against underdevelopment and
poverty. The recent hosting of the G20/L20 by Brazil and South Africa assuming the
Presidency, confirms the deep historic bond between the two sister countries and the
pressing urgency of working together to strengthen and take forward these initiatives
and programmes. Towards that end, COSATU extends a warm hand of invitation to our
Brazilian counterparts to South Africa as we shall be hosting the G20/L20 events in
2025.
COSATU also urge for more increased cooperation between our unions in advancing
decent work, defending workers rights and social justice through the ILO and other
major institutions of such importance to workers
COSATU congratulates CTB and call for more working class unity and international
solidarity around the most pressing issues affecting workers, such as inclusive
economic development for Africa and the global south, environmental justice, gender
equality and sustainable development.

In solidarity
Solly Phetoe
General Secretary