In my capacity as General Secretary of the Argentina Building Workers Union (UOCRA) and on behalf of the building workers builders whom I have the responsibility to represent, I have the high honour to transmit you my most sincere congratulations to Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio, from now on, our Pope Francis I, who will face the immense challenge of driving the destiny of the Holy Catholic Church around the world 
It is my desire to convey the joy that invades the workers and the Argentine people by this fair designation which, without any doubt, represents a recognition to the noble and fruitful pastoral work in his long career in the service of the Catholic faith, which has had the imprint of his choice for the poorest and destitute people of society
I also want to express my most profound conviction regarding our Pope Francis I who will advocate for a different world, with full employment, sustainable and equitable development, based on the need that the globalization process must adjust the power of the current financial sectors, to become a globalization that is at the service of social justice and a better quality of life for our peoples.
                                                       
GERARDO MARTINEZ
UOCRA GENERAL SECRETARY
FOREIGN AFFAIRS SECRETARY OF THE REPUBLIC OF ARGENTINA CGT
MEMBER OF THE ILO´S GOVERNING BODY.                    

“;It is time for the woman who thinks, judges, rejects or accepts and has passed away the time for the woman who assists, tied and helpless, the capricious political development of the fate of her country”. María Eva Duarte de Perón            

Using Evita’s own Words, I convey my warmest greetings, on her Day, to all working women who have made equality and dignity of the role of women in the workplace, a cause of unwavering struggle. A struggle supported by the creative force of the feminine spirit, for which there are no challenges so important that cannot be reached or goals so far that cannot be achieved.
Gerardo Martínez
UOCRA General Secretary

Gerardo Martinez (CGTRA) and Daniel Funes de Rioja (UIA), members of the DWCP Coordination Committee together with their working teams and officials of the Ministry of Labour, Employment and Social Security (MTESS) who are part of the Monitoring Group of the mentioned National Plan, in its third edition, participated in the meeting chaired by the ILO Director- General, at the first event of his visit to Argentina

The meeting was attended by Ms. Cecilia Mackenna Senior Adviser for Latin America and the Caribbean; Director-General Office; Elizabeth Tinocco, ILO Regional Director for Latin America and the Caribbean; Marcelo Castro Fox ILO Office Director in Argentina, and ILO Argentina Office Support Group.

Guy Ryder stressed the importance of the Third Decent Work Agenda of Argentina signed in July 2012, as a process of consolidation of the national social dialogue, highlighting the active participation of the social actors in the debate and the DWCP design, in terms of the challenges, with actions and strategies for the whole country, focusing on the quality of employment, fight against the unregistered jobs, against child labour and forced labour; the universal extension of social protection and occupational health and safety, as well as the generation of specific actions for the youth, immigrants and the elderly.

Argentina's experience in the elaboration of the DWCP, described by the Monitoring Group was highlighted by the speeches of Gerardo Martinez and Daniel Funes de Rioja, who highlighted the involvement of workers in the development of the program. Argentina and Lima ILO Offices’ joint action generates the conditions to allow the debate and tripartite consensus in our country and the need for sharing the practice of social dialogue implemented in the Third Decent Work Agenda of Argentina with our fraternal countries in our region.

The Argentine Building Workers Union (UOCRA) participated in the activities organized within the framework of the Regional Committee meeting of the Building and Wood Workers’ International – BWI- for Latin America and the Caribbean, from 06 to 10 October, 2012 in the city of Montevideo, Uruguay, which was attended by the BWI highest authorities, its President, Mr. Klaus Wiesehügel and its Secretary General, Mr. Albert Yuson.

Activities of Regional Committee of the Building and Wood Workers’ International – BWI- for Latin America and the Caribbean were chaired by the UOCRA General Secretary and President of the Regional Committee, Gerardo Martínez were as follows:

The Regional Women's Committee headed by Ms.President. Marta Pujadas, together with BWI representatives and affiliated unions, met due to the Women's Conference: "Better Trade Unions, More Equity" and agreed strategies and actions in the face of the Strategic Plan 2010-2013 under its review towards the next 4 years.

The UOCRA also participated in the Seminar Organizing Trade Unions in Multinational Enterprises, where the different solutions that may arise to confront the forms of labour of multinational enterprises that are installed in the region, the anti-Union actions developed and strong policies for the reduction of labour rights of workers were exposed. Also it was strengthened the possibility to continue working on the creation of networks for the purposes of keeping track of these companies and to display and to counteract their anti-social policies. Likewise, actions on the strengthening of the trade union networks in the region, on migrant workers and on new legislation and national policies were agreed.

Regional Seminar on Occupational Health: the UOCRA was also present, through the Department of Occupational Safety and Health (OSH), together with leaders of the various Building Workers Unions from Latin America and the Caribbean affiliated to BWI. The objectives of the activity were related to the impact of occupational health on membership campaigns, proposals for the improvement of trade union delegates, among other actions.

The official delegation of the BWI Regional Committee met Mr. President of the Eastern Republic of Uruguay José Mujica and dealt with issues related to the political situation in Latin America and the Caribbean and the impact on the regional economies of the building industry.

Finally, activities culminated in the meeting of the BWI Regional Committee for Latin America and the Caribbean, chaired by Mr. Gerardo Martínez, who stressed the importance that the trade union movement has a stronger unified voice to discuss labor issues in the region against the new political structures and the current international scenario