Vol. 77/No. 27      July 15, 2013

Some 1,000 delegates and guests attended the gathering in Orlando, Fla. The CBTU describes itself as the “independent voice of black workers within the trade union movement.” Founded in 1972, it currently has 50 chapters in the U.S. and one in Canada.

“The CBTU has taken up the embargo against Cuba since 1981, but this was our first discussion of the case of the Cuban Five,” said Harold Rogers, in a June 28 telephone interview with the Militant. Rogers is chair of the CBTU’s International Affairs Committee and author of the resolution on the Cuban Five, which was submitted to the convention by the Chicago CBTU chapter.

Santos Crespo, president of American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Local 372 and a delegate from the New York CBTU chapter, urged delegates to support the resolution. Local 372 helped build the recent “Five Days for the Cuban 5” activities held in Washington, D.C., May 30-June 5.

Crespo started his comments by talking about Washington’s decades-long economic and trade embargo aimed at overthrowing the Cuban government. “Fifty-plus years have passed and that has not succeeded, but the Cuban people have suffered as a result,” he said.

“The people of Cuba happen to be content with what goes on in terms of the government structure. Who are we to tell them that we don’t like your government structure,” said Crespo.

“I’m Puerto Rican. For us, Cuba is an extension of who we are,” Crespo continued. “I know my DNA is both Taíno and African, and that many Cubans feel the same way. Many Dominicans feel the same way. Many of those islands in the Caribbean feel the same way.”

“These were five brothers that volunteered to come here,” Crespo said, describing aspects of the Cuban Five’s mission. “Cuba, since 1959, has been the victim of more terrorist attacks than any other country in the world. It has lost over 3,000 people as a result.”

Another delegate, El Shabazz from Washington, D.C., suggested including in the resolution support for Assata Shakur, a former Black Panther Party member who was framed up for the 1973 murder of a New Jersey state trooper, escaped prison in 1979 and was granted political asylum in Cuba. Shakur was added to the FBI’s “Most Wanted Terrorists” list May 2.

“I agree with the sentiment,” said Rogers, “but in terms of this particular resolution, I think we should let it stand as it is.”

The resolution passed unanimously.

“We want to work with the 55 local chapters to urge them to take up the resolution,” Rogers told the Militant. “One thing a local CBTU chapter can do is hook up with a Cuban Five committee or Cuba solidarity committee in their area. We also want to get information about the case of the Cuban Five and the resolution to local union members.”

Rogers suggested CBTU chapters could publish information in their newsletters about the international campaign to free the Five.

“We hope the resolution on the Cuban Five will be taken to the AFL-CIO convention in Los Angeles in September,” said Rogers.
 
 
Related articles:
Build defense campaign to free the Cuban Five!
Independence for Puerto Rico! Free Oscar López, Cuban Five!:
Socialist Workers Party testifies at UN hearing
Resolution Approved by Coalition of Black Trade Unionists Convention, May 25, 2013
Support the Repeal of the U.S. Travel Restrictions to Cuba and the U.S. Economic Embargo
Who are the Cuban five?
‘Battle of ideas’ counters influence of capitalist values in Cuba
 
 
 
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