3rd International Automotive Workers' Conference successfully held in Pune! Automotive workers stand up against exploitation, right-ward developments and fascism, the threat of war and environmental destruction!

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The above party lines working conference discussed: How can we build a large-scale movement of worker solidarity in the face of the murderous battle of annihilation waged by multinational automotive and supplier corporations? The conference's final resolution states: “The 3^rd International Automotive Workers' Conference was dominated by the awakening of the working class worldwide.” In six corporate forums, automotive workers engaged in intensive discussions on “How can we ensure that no struggle stands alone in the future?”

The struggle against the division of workers into permanent staff and temporary and contractual workers was a major concern at the conference. The conference emphasized: “We are all workers!”

The conference resolved: In future, we automotive workers will combine our struggles for social rights with the struggle against injustice, war, environmental destruction, and fascism.

The conference took a clear stand against the shift in the automotive industry toward a war economy. The participants emphasized: We declare war on the fascists’ attempts to infiltrate more and more into the factories. Let us fight for every worker not to be influenced by fascist demagogy.

The spirit of international solidarity was in the air in Pune: A participant from Germany: “We have clearly seen here that workers all over the world have the same enemy: the auto monopolies and the bourgeois governments.” They want to pit workers in different countries against each other. The conference, however, strengthened the transnational bonds of solidarity.

The conference in India was organized by the trade union federations SEM and TUCI. Automotive workers and their families from India participated in the entire conference. Manoj Patil from SEM and the International Coordinating Group spoke on behalf of the hosts:

“We have experienced discipline, dedication, self-organization, and self-financing together here and learned from it. In the struggle for humanity, this has been a great experience for the Indian labor movement and for all of us together. Namaste!”

In seven thematic forums ranging from occupational safety to socialism, pressing workplace and social issues were examined and discussed in a militant and supportive manner.

The participants discussed, demonstrated, and celebrated together with the families of workers from all over India. The conference prevailed against bureaucratic harassment and anti-communist obstruction—otherwise, far more delegations would have attended. This shows the great importance of the struggle against repression and for democratic rights and freedoms.

The conference passed a series of resolutions on solidarity, such as solidarity with the struggle against the new working hours law in India, against US military aggression against Venezuela, and for solidarity with Gaza.

The conference elected corporate related spokespersons of the automotive workers movement and a new ten-member coordinating group with representatives from India, Brazil, Germany, Italy, Nepal, and South Africa.

One participant from the US summed it up: “We face great challenges. But we have laid a foundation from which great things can grow. Fantastic!”

In its final resolution, the conference resolved to:

"... take responsibility for the future of humanity and build a global, militant grassroots movement of auto workers, their families, and friends. Our goal is cross-border coordination and cooperation in struggles, the regular mutual exchange of information and experiences, the organization of international solidarity, and the strengthening of joint and solid trade union organizing. ... Let's prepare ourselves for hard struggles. Let's set a course for a new level of international cooperation and solidarity, for worldwide joint struggles and strikes."