WORLD CONFERENCE OF CHEMICAL AND PETROLEUM WORKERS

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP62-00865R000100050005-3
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 15
• Document Creation Date: November 11, 2016
• Document Release Date: August 25, 1998
• Sequence Number: 5
• Publication Date: October 25, 1954
• Content Type: REPORT

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25 October 1954
'WORLD CCOFERENCE OF CHEMICAL AND PETROLEUM WORKERS
(Revised Report)
SUMMARY:
. The decision to add petrol um workers unions to the
Chemical tbrkers Trade Department apparently was made
hastily by high WFTU officials, and the merger presented
to the rank and file as a fait accompli. Lack of sup-
port.for a separate petroleum workers federaticii, and the
organization of the International Federation of Petroleum
Workers in April 1954, contributed to the decision to -
merge chemical and petroleum workers unions in the WFTU.
Delegates from the Soviet Bloc dominated the proceedings;
free world participation in the founding conference was
limited almost entirely to representatives of Communist
unions? Since the top executive positions were retained
by representatives of the chemical workers, the manner
and degree of influence of petrolearc workers on the
policies of the trade department are unpredictable. The
trade department is firmly in the control of loyal WFTU
functionaries?
A.kentieleaugaglijauot
The decision to add a petroleum workers section to the existing trade
department for chemical workers appears to have been hastily made on a
high WFTU level, without consultation with the rank and file of, either
the chemical or the oil workers? As late as October 19530 at the Third
World Congrees of the mu, Vicente LOMURDO Toledano spoke of plans
for organizing an "international union of oil workers." jje Then, in
January 1954, without any intervening publicity, the official WFTU
publication llorilg but Ram roma
Chemical and Allied and Oil Vorkers
to the 25th session of the executive
announced a coming conference of
." ,a/ In March 1954, in his report
bureau of the lArru, Luigi GRASSI
reported that a petroleum workers section would be added to Chemical
Workers Trade Department. e!,
The decision was preceded and attendedby family quarrels within the
WFTU. The merger was delayed, reportedly, because of international dif-
-7-
ferences among East Bloc unions. The Miners Trade Department, which
included some of the oil workers, objected strenuously to what it con-
sidered an attempt to weaken that trade department. The head of the
Miners Trade Department, (fan) TURELL, has long been a fee of the WFTU
Secretariat and of Secretary General Louis SAMAR'. le
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A mumber of factors probably conspired to force the WFTUIs decision
to merge the oil and chemical workers.. The establishment in April 1954
of the International Federation of Petroleum Workers (D1MW), allied to
the International Conference of Free Trade Unions (IOFTU)? undoubtedly
prompted the WFTU to organize a rival trade department. At the same
time, it appears that the WFTU discovered too little support for a
separate Petroleum Workers Trade Department and so decided to join it
to the already existing Chemical Workers Trade Department.
The amalgaMation was presented to the workers an a fait accompli at
the World Conference of Chemical and Petroleum vOrkers in Bucharest,
Rumania, in September 1954. The singular lack of pUblicity, even in
the Communist press, attending preparations foi the conference may inei-
cate a desire to avoid public discussion which might have mobilized
opposition to the "party line" or jeopardized control of the body by
loyal WFTU men.
Even in Vienna, headquarters of the WFTU, there was
little news concerning the coming conference, and in Italy, according
to one report, the non-Communist unions were not even aware of it. 3,/
In January 1954, the TeFTU had issued an appeal to all chemical and
oil workers, urging them to support and participate in the world con-
ference in September. A preparatory meeting was held in April 1954 in
Budapest to plan the agenda for the conference, and representatives
of chemical and oil workers unions all over the world, both affiliated
and not affiliated with the WFTU, were invited to attend. A second
preparatory meeting was held in Vienna in June and a special invitation
to attend the conference was issued to the IFFW. Public discussion of
theft neetings was avoided; even the fact that they wore held was not
? generally known.
? B0fija_corgagl
The World Conference of Chemical and Petroleum Workers convened as
scheduled in Bucharest on 21 September 1954. One hundred thirty dele? -
gates, supposedly representing 33 countries, participated, but only 37
. of the delegates have been identified (see Appendix B). Press releaser
indicate that delegates or observers were present from the following
countries:
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France
Italy
Germany
Venezuela
Mexico
Cuba
Ecuador
Indonosia
Although the conference hall and delegates' hotel flow American flags,
the presence of ITS delegates reportedly was denied. 5./ What delegates
from Mexico attended is not known. When Ignacio PACHECO Leon, secretary
general of the Mexican Petroleum Workers Union (Siedicato de Trabajadores
Petroleros de is. Republics. Mexicana) was approached by a delegation from
the CTAL inviting the federation to send delegates to the world conference,
he refused on the advice of the secretaryof government. He thought that
the CTAI, might persuade a few individual members of the Petrolem Workers
Union to make the trip to Bucharest, but because they would not go as
official delegates of the federation he had no way of knowing who they
might be. 12/
Of the identified delegates, eight were from Near East countries, six
from the Soviet Bloc (including China), four from Western Europe, two
from the Far East (excluding China) and only one from the Western Hemisphere?
According to a report from Djakarta, 2/ the conference diecussed, in
addition to industry problems? the atom and hydrogen boMb experiments
and military pacts such as SEATO, and expressed opposition to colonialism
.and foreign military occupation such as the Dutch military occupation
of West Irian, a dispated territory whose inclusion into Indeneeian
territory is at present beingargued by "the Indonesian people" in the
UN General Assembly gf--all tried and true Communist propaganda themee?
The predominance of Soviet Bloc representatives among the presiding
officers and major speakers is in striking contrast to the original appeal
for the conference, on 'which not a single Soviet Bloc name aiilsred. The
, .
preliminary agenda, drawn up by one of the preparatory committees, had.:
called for a major address on "the struggle of the petroleum, workers
against exploitation by trusts and in favor of higher wages, trade union
rights and the develoyeent of their industry in the interest of the people"
by a representative of the Mexican petroleum workers. There is no indica-
tion that this report was given, and since the Mexican petroleum workers
union snubbed the conference, it is likely that no Mexican speaker could
Iran
Kuwait
USSR
Chinese People's Republic
Rumania
Hungary
Czechoslovakia
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_111T 1

be obtained. Indeed, the prevalence of Soviet Bloc representatives on
the podium may have resulted from inability to obtain willing and con.
potent speakers from the free world countries.
All of the officers elected at this conference represent chemical
workers. One of the vice-chairmen,? Edouard PINCE, heads the CAT 's
Chemical Porkers Union, which includes French oil workers as well as
chemical workers. He may be considered to have the interests of petroleum
workers in mind, but these constitute a minority in his union. Undoubtedly
the petroleum workers are represented on the central committee of the
new trade department, but they hold none of the executive positions,
The pivotal power position of secretary general went to a Satellite
representative, who retained the position he had held in the former Chemi-
cal and Allied Workers Trade Department. The largely honorary position
of chairmen, and one of the vice-chairmenships? were given to representa-
stives of the two Vestern nations in which Communists have the strongest
? hold on labor: Italy and Franoe. Representatives of the major free world
oil producing areas, the Western Hemisphere and the Middle East, are sig-
nificantly missing from the roster of highest officials,
Statutes of the new trade department will be approved by the WFTU
Executive in the fall of 19540 Another conference of the trade d,partment
is planned for May or June 19550 The secretariat has been set up pro.
visionally in Bucharest, with plans to transfer it in December to Vienna. 2/
Ve official account of the proceedings of the World Conference of
Chemical and Petroleum Workers has been received. Hovever, it has been
possible to sketch a partial program from news and radio reports:
EnS224120. 22/
32,11114Lbere,_A_EWLammtla .
Oiouse of Culture of the Central Council of Trade Unions, March 6 Avenue)
19 Election of presidium.
2. Opening of conference by Luciano LAMA (Italy),*
* All radio reports received on proceedings of the conference refer to him
as Bianchi LIMA. However, as nearly as biographic officers have been
able to establish, it is probably Luciano 1111A? elected president of the
WFTU International Union of Chemical Workers in Ootober 19530
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30 Participants greeted by Comrade Alexandru VERNESCU, chairman
of the Central Committee of the Trade Union of Workers of the
Oil, Chemical and Methane Gas Industries (Rumania)0
40 Full report on the activity of the Chemical and Allied Workers
Trade Department, WFTU? stressing the need for strengthening'
workers' international solidarity to achieve a better life and
peace; by Ferenc BOZSOKI, secretary general of the Chemical and
Allied Workers Trade Department?
Discussion?
St Minataio
1. Discussions on the report presented by Ferenc BOZSOKI at the
morning session?
2, Address by Jean BAST (France), representative of the French
workers, and Marino FERRARI (Italy), who greeted the conference
on behalf. of 25,000 workers from the chemical industries?
4412.18g-ft-1142R
(Presidedover-by FINCK, France)
1. Opening speech, by FMK.
2, Participants greeted by Ion POBRE, on behalf of the Rumanian
People0s Republic Central Connell of Trade Unions and the
working people of Rumania?
Adoption of agenda?
Reading of salutatory telegrams from trade union organisations
of various countries whose representatives could not participate
in the proceedings of the conference?
5. Address of Luigi GRASSI, liaison secretary of the WFTU? Stressed
that the conference, petting up an international union of workers
in the chemical and petroleum industries, must create a body
capable of competently defending in the present situation the
present and future interests of those who work in these trades,
to reinforce international and national unity and to secure inter-
national solidarity of the workers in the chemical, oil and allied
industries.
t
(Presidedover-lij Nicolal KOVALEV, vice-chairman of the Central Comp.
mittee of the USSR Chemical Industry Workers Trade Union and leadert
of the Soviet delegation to the conference)
1. Report: "Teske of Trade Unions in Chemical, Oil and Able&
Industries for Strengthening the Unity of Action of Workers in,;
the Struggle for Economic and Social Claims, for National Indepen-
dence, and for Peace," by Luciano LAMA?
2, Floor taken by Iosif NEPOVIM (Czechoslovakia) and Osvaldo CAINETTI
(Prance).
No reports of sessions on 23-25 September have been received.
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3.6 PAitiMkteemraSimalunt,921
1. Report of the credentials commission, which showed that the con-
ference was attended by observers and delegates from 33 countries?
2. Passage of unanimous resolutions that the new trade department
of the chemical and oil workers will lend its support to all
unions, affiliated with it or not, whenever requested?
3. Unanimous approval of statutes of the new union.
40 Election of officers:*
Chairman: Luciano LMMA, Italy
Vie:tee-chairmen: Nicolai KOVALEVs USSR
Edouard FINCE, France
Secretary Generals Ferenc BOZSOXI, Hungary
5. Concluding speech by Luciano LAMA.
qtatatkra_g2.9131.Lc_Ero
3c1'..4;41
077)70 Stalin Square, Ploesti
1. Meeting opened byAlexandru VERNESCU.
2.. Floor taken by A. D. AHUNDOV, chairman of the Central Committee
of the USSR Oil Industry Workers Trade Union, who said that "The
Rumanian people, under the leadership of the Rumanian Workers
Partiyeethe worker so aid--have scored big successes in a short
period of time in building the new life of their countrye Along
with all our people, we Soviet oilmen are proud of the successes
of the Rumanian people."
3. Testimony by Osvaldo CAINETTI (France): The proceedings of the
conference, and the warm reception given us by Remenieu worker
proves to the French workers that our struggle is not isolated.
We shall soon return to France, more closely united in the struggle
we must wage and which, with united forces, we shall win.
4. SUN Vet-oun (Chinese Peopaeo Republic); During our stay and our
visit in the Rumanian Peoples Republic, we have witnessed the
powerful enthusiasm of the working people for the building of
socialism. We are deeply impressed and happy at your successes.
In our work for the development of the eoil industry in China we
enjoyed the help of the working people of the Rumanian Peoplee
Republic, who sent us specialists. We thank you from the bottom
of our hearts for the fraternal help?
5. Representative of Iranian oil workers (unidentified): After point-
ing to the "sanguinary exploitation" to which workers in his coun-
try are subjected, he spoke about their struggle tol.mprove con-
ditions, to satisfy economic and social claims, for egtienal inde-
pendence and peace.
6. HeximiliguloGCRCIA? Venezuela: We have arrived feau rich countries
where there is everything to make the life of our people happy.
But foreign imperialism exerts an economic and political domination
which hinders the development of our industry and the improvement
of the living conditions of our people. Workers in Latin America
express before you the resolve that no riches of our country shinill
? be put in the service of the plans of warmongers.
* See biographic sketches in Appendix A.
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7. R. N. KAUL (India): Th a Indian people yearn for peace. They are
convinced that, through the growing unity of the working people,
they will succeed in contributing to the emashing of the plans
of the war fomenters?
8. Rapardy SITUMEANG (Indonesia): Your victory of free peoples is
an example for our people who fight for liberty and national inde?
pendence, for peace. From you we have learned that the unity of
the working class lies at the bads of the struggle for victory.
9. Marino FERRARI (Italy): Enthusiasm, elan and confidence in the
future we saw everywhere in the eyes of the workers, employees
and technicians in the factories and enterprises. We have won
and will win new victories. The Italian workers are convinced
that, together with other workers, they form a great force which,
by their struggle, will win freedom and the right to work and to
live.
10. Prolonged demonstration by participants for the WF1U0 for the
International Vorkers Union of Chemical, Allied and Oil Industries,
for friendship among peoples and for peace.
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stimenr.
C. prouttajor the New Trade kepartment
The WFTU attempted to give the new trade department
an auspicious send-off by having in attendance top WFTU
officials, who actually are concerned with neither the
petroleum nor the chemicel industries: Luigi GRASSI, head
of the international liaison office of the WFTU; Louis
SA/LLANT0 head of the WFTU general secretariat; Ernest
THORNTON, leading WFTU official in Australia, Indonesia
and Oceania; and other WFTU functionaries, including LIU
Ning-i, Emil OTTO, Lazar? PENA, (Inn) KUTUZEV and MORARU0 JJ
Although the conference was one of chemical and
petroleum workers, most of the delegates came from the oil-
producing areas. Of the 130 delegates, 63 were members of
oil workers unions, and another 40 came from oil fields of
underdeveloped countriese12/ In what manner and to what
degree the oil workers will influence policy of the trade
department remains to be seen.
According to the conference protocols, the struggle for
production control by the workers in Central Asian and Latin
American areas is to be waged as part of the nationalist
struggle. The tactics to be applied in this struggle are
to be adjusted in such a way that the support of the oil
workers by broad masses of the population can be assured. 12/
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BIOGRAPHIC SKETCHES ON OFFICERS OF CHEMICAL ANDjklk
DEPARTMENT
WORKERS TRADE
In October 1953 Luciano Lama was elected president of
the WFTU International Union of Chemical Workers. At that
time, LoUnita? the Italian Communist Partys press organ,
identified him as secretary-general of the CGIL (Italian
Communist controlled labor federation) Chemical Union.
He is also a member of the WFTU General Council, a member
of the COIL Directing and Executive Committees (elected
December 1952) and a member of the Honor Committee of the
Italo-Polish Cultural Association. An unconfirmed report
of 1953 states that he Is a member of the Economic-Industrial
Office in the ICI Central Economic Office.
Lama in 1945 was a Socialist labor leader from Bologna
and a COIL vice-secretary. By 1947, however, he had apparent-
ly joined the Communist Party, and about this time, in
addition to being a cm vice-secretary, he was also secretary
of the (COIL) Chamber of Labor at Forli. He attended the
National Youth Congress for Work and Production (Communist-
sponsored) in Genoa in February 1948; the WFTU Congress,
Milan, June 1948; and the Second National COIL Convention,
Genoa, Octobel 1948, at which he was re-elected a vice-secretaryo
In November 3.950 he went to Moscow for October Revolution
celebrations.
Lama was described in 1947 as et young, eager person, a
power in local Forli activities and a man of violent ihther
than rational methods. While his birth date is not available,
a picture of him appearing in battle, 24 October 1953 appears
to be that of a man in his early -Or mid-thirties at the most.
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awattormms
FUCK 'EDOUARD'
Nationality:. French
Present Position: Secretary general of COT Chemical Workers Union
Birthdate: 28 March 1891
Career.:
1932 Secretary of Federation of Workers in the Chemical Industry ((GT)
190 Attended constituent conference of International Chemical
'Workers organization at Bologna in Wol/emberw
1952 Visited Bucharest in AugUst?
Referred to as secretary general or COT, Member of CGT National
Committee?.
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KaVALEL_Ficolgi N0
Nationality: Russian
Present Position: Chairman of Central Committee of Trade Unions of
Chemical Workers, USSR
Birthdate: 1907
Career:
1947 Chairman, Central Committee of Chemical Workers Unions, USSR
Member of delegation to AIL-Union Central Committee of Trade
Unions, Italy, 3 June
1948 Attended First Congress of Austrian Trade Unions, 18 May
4
Head of USSR Trade Union delegation visiting Austria, 5 June
1949 Headed Soviet delegation to National Congress of Chemical Workers,
Florence, Italy, 26-28 June
Present at organization of International Chemical Workers Organization
at Bologna,. Italyr 13 November
1950 Member of Executive Committee of International Union of Chemical
Workers, elected 14 March
'Member of USSR delegation to Bulgaria to attend constituent conference
of International Federation of Trade Unions of Workers in the Chemical.
Industry, 18 March
President, USSR Chemical Workers Union
Member of Executive Committee of International Union of Chemical
Workers
Member of delegation to Trade Unions of Glass and Porcelain Workers
Congress, Helsinki, June
1953 Deputy chairman, WFTU
Member of Soviet delegation to Third World Congress of the WFTU,
October
Remarks:
KOVALEV is an old member of the Bolshevik Party and a member of the
"Red Guard" with the rank of captain.
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BOZSOKI Ferenc 1.7/
Nationality: Hungarian
Career:
1949 Member of Parliament
1950 Hungarian delegate, International Conference of Chemical Industry
Trade Unions, Budapest, 12-14 March
Na'pled secretary of the World Federation of Chemical Industry
Workers, March
1951 Leader of Hungarian delegation to Berlin conference against German
remilitarization? March
Official, Central Council of the Hungarian Trade Unions, Budapest
Chairman, Hungarian Workers Committee
1952 Hungarian delegate, Moscow International Economic Conference, April
1952- Secretary, World Federation of Trade Unions' Chemical and Allied
date Industries Workers Trade Union International
1953 Members National Trade Union Council
Member, Presidential Board of the Union of Chemical Industry Workers
Member, Hungarian delegation to the All-China Trade Union Federation,
Peking, China, April
President, National Hungarian Labor Committee
1954 Deputy, Grand National Assembly, January
.% ?
. .
????
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APPENDIX
KNOT, IFILESTOVOD0911111EZILOF CHEMICAL ANDAILFORKERS
Osvaldo CAIVETTI, representative of Cardboard Workers Union, and
member of National Committee of CGT.
Jean BAST
Edouard FINCK, secretary general of CGT Chemical Workers Union
Luciano LAMA, president of WFTUgs International Union of Chemical
Workers
Marino. FERRARI
R. No XAUL
A. NAMEL (possibly Ashra !CAMEL, who attended WFTU Congress in
October l9530.)
Ja9L2Piag
RapariltrT4 SITUMEANG, secretary general of Executive Council of PERBUM
Jusuf BIJAVANA
SUN Vet?cun
Venezuela:
Maximiliano GORCIA, member of Comite Sindical Unitario de Trabajadores
.Petroleras de Venezuela (COSUTRAPET), the Communist
Union.
1.1ML.A.U.n
Ion DOBRE
Alexandrou VEREESCU, chairman of Central Committee of Trade Union' of
Workers of the Oil, Chemical and Methane Gas
Industries, Rumania.
11,2muz:
war-.
Ferenc BO2SOKI, secretary general of International Union of Chemical
Workers.
Lce.obalomk&t.:
Iosif NEPOVIM '
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USSR:
Nicolai N0 KOVALEV, chairman of Central Committee of Trade Unions
of Chemical Workers, USSR
A.D. AHUNDOV, chairman of Central Committee of the USSR Oil
Industry Workers Trade Union
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