Today, EFFAT Congress has elected new leadership for the upcoming term. Enrico Somaglia, has been elected as the new General Secretary, a position he will hold for the next five years, marking a new chapter in the organization’s mission to defend workers’ rights across Europe.
Enrico Somaglia shared his vision for the future, emphasizing the importance of unity and solidarity:
“From the moment I joined EFFAT, it was clear to me that this organization is at the heart of something profoundly important. Unity and Solidarity are the two secret formulas of our success, they are the fundamental principles to which all of us here today in this room have fully committed to. And what I can promise, is that I’ll give my very best to uphold, respect and amplify these values.”
As part of the leadership changes, EFFAT also elected key figures who will play vital roles in advocating for agri-food, tourism and domestic workers across Europe.
Annika Rönni-Sallinen from Service Unions PAM was elected as the new President of EFFAT.
She expressed her commitment to making workers’ issues more visible, saying:
“I look forward to being part of an EFFAT family where members are visible and their problems are taken into account.”
Patrick Rehan from the Belgian trade union FGTB ABBVV Horval was elected as EFFAT’s new Vice President. Rehan, a strong advocate for labour rights, stated:
“I come from the working class, which completely shaped the man and saw with my own eyes multinationals can do to workers without consulting them.”
Irina Zgonec Rozej, from the Slovenian Agricultural and Food Industry Trade Unions, was unanimously elected as EFFAT’s new Vice President. She reflected on her own dedication to the cause:
“I spend my time like many of you: organizing workers, advocating for trade union rights, and finding solutions based on mutual agreements
EFFAT’s new leadership team is committed to strengthening solidarity across sectors and advocating for the rights of workers in agriculture, food production, tourism and domestic work with a unified vision to ensure that workers’ voices are heard and respected at all levels.
