The ICFTU European Regional Organisation (ERO) was a regional trade union confederation, bringing together national federations of trade unions in Europe.
The confederation was established in April 1950 at a conference in Brussels, held on the initiative of the recently-formed International Confederation of Free Trade Unions (ICFTU). [1] It was the first regional organisation established by the ICFTU, and was a new initiative, as the World Federation of Trade Unions and International Federation of Trade Unions had never set up regional bodies. [2] ERO established its headquarters in Brussels. [1]
The organisation aimed to represent European trade unions in all regional matters, but in particular in relation to the expected establishment of a European Community. However, competitor organisations soon emerged. The Committee of the Twenty-One was established in 1952, to liaise with the European Coal and Steel Community, and this was succeeded by the European Trade Union Secretariat (ETUS), representing trade union federations in the European Economic Community nations. In 1968, a Trade Union Committee for the European Free Trade Area (EFTA-TUC) was also established. [2]
The ERO became marginalised, and after its general secretary, Walter Schevenels, died in 1966, its affiliates discussed a reorganisation, whereby the ETUS and the EFTA-TUC would affiliate to the ERO, and the ETUS general secretary would become the secretary of the ERO. The proposal was rejected, and instead a plan was drawn up for the ERO to act as a liaison group between the ETUS and EFTA-TUC. [3] There proved little need for an organisation to fill this role, and so in 1969 the ERO was dissolved. In 1973, the European Trade Union Confederation was established, to fill a similar role. [1]
The International Confederation of Free Trade Unions (ICFTU) was an international trade union. It came into being on 7 December 1949 following a split within the World Federation of Trade Unions (WFTU), and was dissolved on 31 October 2006 when it merged with the World Confederation of Labour (WCL) to form the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC).
The World Confederation of Labour (WCL) was an international labour organization founded in 1920 and based in Europe. Totalitarian governments of the 1930s repressed the federation and imprisoned many of its leaders, limiting operations until the end of World War II. In 2006 it became part of the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC), ending its existence as an independent organization.
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Jacobus Hendrik Oldenbroek was a Dutch trade union leader and politician, who served as general secretary of the International Confederation of Free Trade Unions.
Walter Schevenels was a Belgian trade union official.
Bruno Storti was an Italian trade unionist and politician.
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