Background to Labor Rights in Cuba

World Movement for Democracy.

Independent unions, workers' rights to collective bargaining, and the right to strike are not recognized by the Cuban government. Individuals associated with independent unions are often fired, harassed, arrested, threatened with sanctions, physically attacked, and imprisoned for long periods of time. According to the International Confederation of Trade Unions (ICFTU), "Anyone who engages in independent trade union activity runs the risk of being persecuted and losing their job. Workers are required to keep an eye on their colleagues and report any 'dissident' activity."

Independent labor groups have had their property and belongings confiscated, and the state security has infiltrated the movement with state agents. In March 2003, 75 human rights activists, including seven leaders of independent trade unions, suffered harassment and imprisonment and were charged with "treason and conspiracy." The recent crackdown represented a violation of these workers' universal rights to freedom of expression and association.

The Cuban government only recognizes one official governmental trade union, the Central de Trabajadores Cubanos (Cuban Worker's Confederation- CTC). During recent years, several labor leaders have broken with the CTC and formed independent unions. In February 2001, one of these groups, in alliance with several other individual independent labor leaders, formed the Confederacion Obrera Nacional Independeiente de Cuba (International Confederation of Free Labor Organizations- CONIC), which is represented in exile by Federacion de Plantas Eléctricas, Gas y Agua en Exilio (Federation of Electric, Gas and Water Plants in Exile)and composed of representatives from various sectors of society. Federacion is an example of a group working in exile that focuses on raising awareness of Cuban labor rights violations in the international community. Federacion recently produced the Violations of Social and Labor Rights in Cuba report and presented it to the International Labor Organization (ILO).

We would like thank Joel Brito, Project Director of Federacion, for answering the following interview questions. Mr. Brito is a World Movement for Democracy participant.

1. How would you best define the relationship between workers rights and democracy?

between workers' rights and democracy is complementary; if workers have rights, democracy can prosper and be consolidated. In countries where labor rights are often violated, the basic principles of democracy are also violated, thus hurting civil society groups.

2. What are the most successful strategies and tactics that Federacion uses to promote labor rights? Are there particular contexts in which some of these tactics (such as civil disobedience, public protest, letter writing campaigns, etc.) are more successful than others?

Cuba is an authoritarian country, where freedom of expression does not exist, and neither does the freedom of association. Independent trade unions are persecuted and penalized by the Cuban state. In our case, promoting labor rights is very difficult. The various organizations in the labor movement in Cuba have been gaining space little by little. We use strategies that pressure the government to enforce the International Labor Organization conventions that Cuba has signed. We use international forums to conduct international campaigns demanding the release of imprisoned labor unionists and to denounce the labor and union violations committed by the government. Given the extreme repression in Cuba, it is difficult, but not impossible, to conduct public protests, civil disobedience, and other peaceful ways of demanding workers rights.

As an important part of the labor movement, Federation focuses on establishing solidarity for Cuban workers, and creating manuals and labor training courses to raise awareness of labor rights and how to defend them. We have also worked on disseminating news and information on labor movements and unions. For example, we have success publicizing the imprisonment of seven prominent unionists, who were also political leaders.

3. Do you collaborate with other civil society groups in Cuba to fight for labor rights, such as women's organizations, civic education groups, youth movements, etc.?

The Independent National Worker's Confederation is an umbrella organization that includes 92 unions and maintains working relationships with various groups that form the Cuban civil society. We see the Confederation's work as complementary to our work. Youth, women, Afro-Cubans, and other marginalized groups are also workers, and their rights as workers are affected by the repressive nature of the government. In a country where only one central union is controlled by the Communist Party and directed by the state, opposition organizations must consider other links for cooperation to make their work more effective.

4. Do you engage in cross border collaboration with labor movements in other countries?

Various international labor organizations have shown solidarity with the Cuban Labor Movement. One such example is how the International Confederation of Trade Unions (ICTFU) and the World Confederation of Labor (WCL) have filed complaints before the ILO's Committee of Free Labor. The ICFTU and the WCL have filed complaints against the Cuban government for labor violations, such as not allowing independent unions; threats, detentions and pressure against independent unions; exclusive labor legislation; not accepting a mission of ILO contacts, and for infiltrating independent labor organizations with state agents.

During the wave of repression in 2003 when 75 dissidents were sentenced to prison, seven of whom were labor rights activists, we felt solidarity with labor organizations like the AFL-CIO, the American Federation of Teachers, the Workers Commission of Spain, CTV of Venezuela, the Italian General Labor Confederation, and Dutch labor unions, all of whom actively condemned the unjust incarceration of the labor activists and demanded respect for labor freedom.

5. How can the international community work together to improve labor rights? What outside tools (international organizations, etc.) help the inside struggle?

International organizations like the ILO, which has defended worker and union rights since its foundation, work with us. In 1998, the ILO adopted the "Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work," which highlights the extreme importance of governments, employers and workers organizations committing themselves to respect and defend fundamental human rights and values, which include freedom of association and the right to collective bargaining, the elimination of forced and compulsory labor, the abolition of child labor, and the elimination of discrimination at the work place. If the governments practiced the correct form of these basic rights, many of these problems would be resolved.

6. Can you provide insight on some of the common mistakes that are made in labor movements?

In my opinion, mistakes are made because of:

• Corruption and the lack of work ethics effects the credibility and the level of power that unions have in society and results in low membership rates.
• political parties have tried to create labor unions with partisan goals and interests.
• " Lack of training of labor leaders to confront complicated issues and processes, such as globalization and free trade agreements, causes workers to be unprepared to negotiate agreements for their countries and members.

Without a doubt, poverty, low wages, and high unemployment rates are factors that directly influence the role played by unionists. On the other hand, we are concerned that in recent years trade unions have been weakened in most countries. This crisis hurts union members and their organizations, but we are optimistic that the principal international labor organizations have a vision on how to confront this situation.

7. What are the greatest current-day challenges that the labor movement faces in Cuba?

An illegitimate government that has been oppressing its country and generating forced exiles for 45 years, imposing executions, imprisonment, and separation of Cuban families is a great challenge. It is vital to the labor movement to disclose the lack of freedom of trade unions and the government's economic failures that directly affect the low levels of quality of life and work. It is important that unionists take advantage of international courts and continue denouncing the Cuban regime as the most responsible player in our nation's tragedy.

Contact Information:
Go to: www.cubasindical.org. Joel Brito can be reached at fsindical@aol.com.

World Movement for Democracy || National Endowment for Democracy

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