Congratulations to Luca Visentini – the new Secretary General of ITUC!

We are very happy to learn that the ITUC elected Luca Visentini as their new Secretary General at the 5th World Congress held in Melbourne last week. Luca has served as the ETUC Secretary General for the past 7 years, a role in which he has managed to advocate for the establishment and implementation of the European Pillar of Social Rights, solidarity mechanisms in times of crises, and a just transition in Europe together with SOLIDAR and the whole progressive family. We look forward to taking our joint work further in this new capacity!  

We also extend our best wishes and encouragement to the old and new faces of the elected leadership of the ITUC: 

• Deputy General Secretaries Eric Mwezi Manzi, Jordania Ureña Lora, Owen Tudor; 
• President Akiko Gono; 
• Deputy Presidents Cathy Feingold, Antonio Lisboa. 

We stand with the international trade union movement in their statement released during the Congress calling for a new Social Contract, to put the economy in the service of humankind, save people and the planet from the threat of destruction, and fight new and ongoing inequalities and injustices. 

SOLIDAR also would like to express our deepest thanks to Sharan Barrow, for her steady and committed leadership as ITUC Secretary General for the past 12 years, for never backing down in the face of power, and staying true to the core values of the labour movement, and for her continued support of SOLIDAR campaigns throughout the years whether it be on decent work, universal protection systems, the recognition of the State of Palestine, support for the pro-democratic movement in Hong Kong, or countering shrinking space. We wish you all the best in your future endeavors!