The President of the International Trade Union Confederation, João Felício, addressed the plenary session of the BRICS Trade Union Forum, which was being held in Ufa, Russia, in the afternoon of Thursday 9 July. Speaking to the delegates from the five BRICS countries, Mr Felício provided an overview of the international trade union movement at this time, broaching such issues as the fight against anti-trade union practices and for collective bargaining and freedom of trade union organisation throughout the world.