The Militant(logo) 
    Vol.60/No.20           May 20, 1996 
 
 
Unionists Call For International Conference In Cuba  

BY SEBASTIAN O'GRADY

HAVANA - More than 300 unionists from 42 countries met at the city's main convention center here May 2. They approved a proposal by Pedro Ross Leal, general secretary of the Central Organization of Cuban Workers (CTC), to hold an international conference of trade unionists in Havana in the summer of 1997 to discuss coordinating labor efforts in the worldwide struggle against unemployment, cuts in social programs, and other effects of the capitalist economic crisis. The event will also discuss broadening working-class opposition to the U.S. economic embargo of Cuba.

"Every day workers are losing jobs. Every day, nations are losing their sovereignty," Ross told the unionists attending the one-day solidarity meeting. Most of the participants had taken part in the CTC's 17th Congress, which concluded two days earlier.

"In the face of growing attacks on the rights and living standards of working people, the union movement cannot remain dispersed," Ross said. "We are especially worried about the hard reality confronting those who live in third world countries," where the economic crisis has been devastating.

The Cuban trade union leader noted that in capitalist countries around the world, including in imperialist countries like the United States, wages are frozen or declining, unemployment is rising, and social services are being slashed.

Cuba has also faced a deep economic crisis, Ross said. "But even with the tightening of the U.S. blockade, not one hospital has been closed and not one teacher has lost his or her job."

Ross explained that this is due to the advances made by the Cuban revolution. "Before 1959, we were virtually a colony," he said. "The United States dictated to us our national policies."

As a result, "we had an infant mortality rate of 100 per 1,000 live births. Tens of thousands of workers were jobless." This situation was reversed, he said, with the victory of the revolution.

Fight against U.S. embargo
Ross called the new U.S. legislation escalating Washington's economic war on the Cuban people a "slavery law." The measure is officially titled the Cuban Liberty and Democratic Solidarity Act.

"Ironically they named this Helms-Burton bill a law for democracy and solidarity with Cuba. But even with 100 laws they will not succeed in bringing Cubans to their knees," the CTC leader said.

To face both the attacks on the rights and standard of living of working people around the world, and the attempts by the U.S. government to tighten the embargo, Ross said, "we need the solidarity and alliance of our class brothers."

"We are one single working class and we have common interests," Ross said. "The Cuban union movement is loyal to its internationalist tradition and will always be on the side of those who struggle for their legitimate interests."

The CTC proposal for the international conference was well- received by delegates at the meeting. Those present came mostly from the Americas and Europe. They included representatives of several major union federations as well as officials of local unions and some rank-and-file workers. There were also delegates from union federations in China, Laos, Russia, South Africa, Uganda, and Vietnam.

Sara Shartel, a member of the United Food and Commercial Workers and a leader of Worker to Worker in Canada, a group that organizes unionists in that country to visit Cuba, noted the resistance to deep layoffs and cutbacks in social services taking place in Canada today, including several demonstrations of tens of thousands.

"There are 30,000 homeless including 15,000 children in Canada today," Shartel stated. "Then we look at Cuba. No child is without a school or homeless."

Oliva Bouchard, president of the National Federation of Teachers of Quebec, spoke next. Her delegation came to see the revolution firsthand, Bouchard said. "In Quebec we are fighting for our independence and sovereignty. We like the values we have seen in Cuba."

Brian Taylor, a member of the International Association of Machinists, and Gloria La Riva, a member of the Communication Workers of America, also spoke. They were part of a delegation of 53 trade unionists who came to the CTC congress with the U.S.-Cuba Labor Exchange.

Taylor stated that young people and workers who are involved in struggles in the United States, such as the fight to defend abortion rights, the movement against anti-immigrant attacks, and strike battles, are open to learning the truth about the Cuban revolution. "These fighters see how the big-business media misrepresents, perverts, and lies about their struggles," Taylor said, "and begin to wonder if the media has done the same to the fighting people of Cuba."

Luis Matos from Local 1199 of the hospital workers union in New York also attended the CTC meeting along with a six-person delegation. "It's been extremely important for us to participate in the 17th Congress of Cuban workers," Matos said. "We could see how Cuban workers and the government sit down together to seek solutions to their problems. I haven't seen this in any part of the world except in Cuba."

Bernardo Rojas, from the United Workers Federation in Paraguay, noted that resistance to austerity programs there has been growing. "A 48-hour general strike will take place this week," he reported, "to protest the neoliberal policies of the government." Several union leaders and activists have been arrested by the government in an attempt to head off the strike. "That's why we need more Cubas in Latin America," Rojas concluded.

A participant from Lebanon condemned the latest Israeli attacks there. "You are all aware of the situation in my country," he said. "Throughout April we faced the savage Israeli aggression. We are asking for solidarity in the face of all the attacks." He thanked the CTC and the Communist Party of Cuba for their support in the struggle against the onslaught by Tel Aviv.

"Cuba is a beacon of conscience and dignity for the world," Ross stated at the end of the day. "This world meeting against neoliberalism will also be a meeting against the economic and financial blockade against Cuba and against the Helms-Burton law. It will be an expression of solidarity with the Cuban people and the Cuban revolution."

On May 3, two dozen people met at the CTC offices in Havana to begin concretizing plans for the 1997 conference. The event has been tentatively named the International Conference of Workers for Unity in Action against Neoliberalism. Along with the CTC, the General Confederation of Workers (CGT) of France and other union federations around the world will be co-sponsoring the gathering.

It will take place concurrently with the World Festival of Students and Youth, which is hosted by the Union of Young Communists (UJC), Federation of University Students, and other youth organizations in Cuba. The UJC issued the call for the youth festival during the massive May Day mobilization in Havana.

The next planning meeting for the 1997 international trade union gathering will be held here in November.  
 
 
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