An alternative to the World Economic
Forum is the World Social Forum

Every year trade union leaders
discuss the question of whether or
not we should go to Davos. It is
always exciting to have access to
the "crème de la crème" of the
capitalist system which rules the
entire world.
In the past, some trade union
leaders have decided to
participate in the World Economic
Forum, while others found it more
interesting and useful to give
priority to other activities. This, I
should point out, has nothing to do with ideology. It is
simply a question of how we allocate our resources.
The IMF has never participated in Davos. Nevertheless,
many presidents and general secretaries of
IMF-affiliated unions have done so and have provided
some positive contributions to the debates which have
taken place. So, also, have leaders of other international
trade secretariats (ITSs) and the ICFTU.
I am afraid, however, that the results are not as good as
we would have hoped. For some time, I have proposed
establishing an alternative to Davos – not just an
alternative, but a labour movement alternative to Davos.
It is somewhat disappointing that we, in the trade union
and wider labour movement, have been unable to agree
to take such an initiative. Global unions – that is the
ICFTU, the ITSs and TUAC – attempted to raise this
issue at the Socialist International, to initiate a dialogue
that could have resulted in such a gathering, but sadly,
the Socialist International has not awakened to our call
and not even had the courtesy to reply to our letters.
Trade unions, with all their experience and pragmatism,
provide the only realistic counterweight to unfettered
capitalism. Consequently, I welcome the Porto Alegre
initiative – the alternative to the Davos World Economic
Forum which is called the World Social Forum – to open
up a debate about globalisation from a social
perspective, but this cannot and must not be restricted
to just the Third World. Trade unions from every
continent must participate and contribute to the
conference in Brazil.
The major force behind this initiative is the local
government of the Rio Grande do Sul. But local
government cannot by itself successfully carry on the
struggle against the enormous power that the
decision-makers in the capitalist system can bring to
bear, who will do whatever is necessary to destroy this
attempt to coordinate opposition to their freedom to
exploit the world's natural and human resources. We, in
the trade union movement, must lend our support.
Trade unions have much more in common with the
organisers of the World Social Forum in Porto Alegre
than those who organise the World Economic Forum, or
even those who coordinate the demonstrations outside
the congress hall in Davos.
And while the ticket to travel to Brazil might be more
expensive than the one to Switzerland, you will not have
to pay an exorbitant fee just to listen to all the
nonsense and economic dogma that will be produced in
Davos.
There can only be one sensible conclusion: go to Porto
Alegre.

Marcello Malentacchi,
IMF General Secretary