On June 11, representatives of the IUF Latin American Secretariat  (Rel-UITA) held a meeting with Harald Wiedenhofer, General Secretary of the European Federation of Food, Agriculture and Tourism Trade Unions (EFFAT), regional organization of the IUF in Europe.

Siderlei de Oliveira, President of CONTAC; José Oxley, President of the Norteña Workers' Union (SOEN - Uruguay); Eduardo Esquivel, Coordinator of the Workers' Union of the Soft Drinks Bottling Industry of Mexico (STIE) and Gerardo Iglesias, IUF Regional Secretary, held an interesting meeting with Harald Wiedenhofer at the EFFAT office in Brussels.

The disembarking in Europe of the main Brazilian meat industry players and the increasing action of  AB-Inbev in both regions, the dairy sector, tourism and the Free trade Agreements between the EU and  Colombia, Peru and Central America were defined as priority issues to build the future union agenda.

Another significant issue identified for future coordination is the  International Campaign against the Work Pace in Poultry Plants in Brazil. Europe is one of the main markets for major Brazilian companies, and that is where unions and consumer organizations are potential contributors to spread the campaign, which purpose is contributing to eliminate the suffering of thousands of Brazilian workers of this industry.

In turn, Harald Wiedenhofer praised the IUF International Dairy Conference (Buenos Aires, March 2010), where many European unions took part and positively evaluated its organization and scope.

He also showed interest in the proposal that EFFAT website may access the information published by Rel-UITA where lately many European conflicts have been followed and is closely linked to the IUF affiliates of Spain.

Eduardo Esquivel, Siderlei de Oliveira, Harald Wiedenhofer and José Oxley