The CSTT recently held its Congress in Lomé under the theme "Mobilising for a new social contract and a trade unionism devoted to serving workers". Inspired by the last ITUC Congress, the CSTT theme put forward five demands to improve workers’ living and working conditions.
"These include job creation in line with the just transition and climate data, respect for workers’ rights, social protection, inclusion and equality. These are rights that are part of the fundamental principles and rights in all countries, and that all employers must respect in relation to workers in order to have decent work", explained Emmanuel Agbénou, the outgoing General Secretary of the CSTT.
After a presentation on the subject, the delegates were presented with the various reports of the outgoing Board, including the Activity Report and the Financial Report. Time was then devoted to reviewing the founding documents, such as the Statutes and Rules of Procedure, in order to adapt them to the new requirements of the day.
Tradition dictates that Emmanuel Agbénou and his executive committee put in their resignations before starting again on the same footing with the other candidates in the running.
"I started work in 2019 and we have just taken a break with this congress to assess the progress made. I am aware that the work is not finished and that there are still many prospects. I need your vote to bring the confederation to the top of the trade union landscape in our country, Togo. I am counting on you", he told his fellow delegates.
They also expressed their confidence that he would continue to lead CSTT during its next four years, when it will be essential to ensure that this new social contract becomes effective by raising awareness and integrating its five demands into action plans.
The re-elected General Secretary of the CSTT assures us that he will pursue the work begun in 2019 when he took over the leadership of the Togolese trade union confederation.
"At the end of the extraordinary, elective and inclusive Congress of the CSTT, held in Lomé on 23 March 2019, on the evocative theme of unity and stability, let’s restore confidence after a deep internal crisis that has led to immeasurable consequences, the Confederal Council resulting from this Congress has set itself as its main objectives. Our task is to patch up the rifts by promoting unity and solidarity among all the members of the CSTT in order to avoid, as far as possible, divisions that would be detrimental to the harmony and conviviality of the confederation. It is also a question of working with all the seriousness, honesty and transparency characterised by the rigour of management necessary to lay the foundations for regaining the confidence of our partners, all of whom have unfortunately left us, hence the financial difficulties we are experiencing in running the Centre. Today, we can say without hesitation that the first objective has been achieved," said Emmanuel Agbénou.
