BY ERNIE MAILHOT
HAVANA - Trade unionists from a number of countries met December 3 in Havana to discuss organizing work for next summer's labor conference titled "International Workers Conference Confronting Neoliberalism and Globalization." This event will be held in Havana August 6-8, 1997, after the 14th World Festival of Youth and Students, taking place in Cuba's capital and other cities throughout the island.

Several leaders of the Central Organization of Cuban Workers (CTC) participated in the organizing meeting, including CTC general secretary Pedro Ross. Other participants included representatives of unions and union federations from Australia, Chile, Colombia, France, India, Panama, Peru, Turkey, and Venezuela. Two trade union activists from the United States involved in work in defense of Cuba also attended.

The international workers conference next August is expected to bring together unionists and others from countries on every continent. Its central theme will be the growing economic and social crisis facing working people as governments, defending big-business interests, drive against the rights and living standards of workers.

During the three-day event participants will break down into commissions. The topics will include effects of privatization; unemployment and underemployment; struggles against the lowering of wages, cuts in social services, and the deterioration of health and education; the fight against the unequal distribution of wealth; the loss of sovereignty and independence of countries; and actions needed to end discrimination against women and immigrants and put a stop to child labor.

The conference will also meet in full plenary sessions. Major presentations in these sessions will include a talk by Osvaldo Martínez, director of the International Center on the World Economy, and a presentation by Pedro Ross on the Cuban trade union movement. In addition, the December 3 organizing meeting decided to invite Ricardo Alarcón, president of Cuba's National Assembly, to speak on Washington's misnamed "Cuban Liberty and Democratic Solidarity Act," or Helms-Burton law. This legislation escalated the U.S. rulers' economic war against the Cuban revolution. Cuban president Fidel Castro is being asked to give the closing talk to the conference.

During the discussion at the December organizing meeting Sukomal Sen, general secretary of the All India State Government Employees' Federation, stressed that it's not only important to point out the problems but also to offer alternatives. Ross said that this is exactly what the conference was about. "We here think we have an alternative, but we want everyone to express their views on this," the Cuban union leader said.

Besides those represented at the December organizing meeting, a number of other unions have added their names to the cosponsors list. Others have responded positively to attending the event. The 19 national unions of Cuba are organizing to each have delegations at the conference.

Ernie Mailhot is a member of Union of Needletrades, Industrial and Textile Employees Local 694B in Miami.  
 
 
Front page (for this issue) | Home | Text-version home