The new Independent Trade Union Coalition of Cuba (CSIC) has issued a lengthy “Declaration of Principles and Objectives” aimed at expanding labor rights on that island nation and indicating its readiness to fight for democracy and freedom.
The CSIC was formed in Havana last spring by key independent labor organizations in Cuba: the Confederación de Trabajadores Independientes de Cuba (CTIC), the Confederación Obrera Nacional Independiente de Cuba (CONIC), and the Consejo Unitario de Trabajadores Cubanos (CUTC).
In the document, the CSIC states its commitment to fundamental human and labor rights and its readiness to fight for democracy, freedom and the development of Cuban workers, while defending them against the threats arising from economic plans recently agreed to by the VI Congress of the Communist Party of Cuba.
Those plans, among other things, provide for the massive layoff of 1.3 million workers.
In all, the “Declaration” includes nearly three dozen principles, many of which are in direct opposition to what Fidel and Raúl Castro have forced on Cuba during their dictatorships.
The Coalition calls for:
* Full observance by the Cuban government of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and of the Conventions and Recommendations of the International Labor Organization
* An “indispensible” increase of salary and for union autonomy, and a single currency
* Freeing human creativity in self-employment, allowing professionals and workers to practice their profession and trades without limitations
* Lowering the social security tax on women in self-employment
* Allowing foreign investors to hire workers directly and to base hiring decisions on technical and professional capacity and experience
* The creation of a new Constitution of the Republic based on democratic principles and the enactment of a new labor code guaranteeing the right to strike
* Opposing “acts of repudiation” and other actions which violate the dignity of the working class
In a separate action, more than 30 of the most important democracy activists in Cuba and their organizations expressed strong support for the Coalition’s declaration, including 10 former “prisoners of conscience” of the “Group of 75” arrested in the Black Spring of 2003.
Following is the full text of the Declaration:
Independent Trade Union Coalition of Cuba
(Coalición Sindical Independiente de Cuba-CSIC)
The Cuban working class is suffering through the worst moments of their lives. The 1.3 million workers slated to lose their jobs due to a mandatory process, temporarily frozen by the state, forces the Independent Trade Union Coalition of Cuba (CSIC) to take a stand for the well being of Cuban workers, proclaiming to the Cuban people and the world, the interests of the independent trade unions in seeking social justice to allow workers a decent quality of life for them and their families.
The CSIC represents workers from all sectors: manual laborers, intellectuals, industrial, agricultural, the self-employed, maritime, technicians, teachers, scientists, administrators, artists, and professionals in the private sector, both salaried and autonomous, among others integrated to the coalition.
The CSIC values above all the respect of human dignity essential to the free exercise of human and labor rights; the liberty and equality without distinction of class, ethnicity, income, political preferences, ideologies, cultures, religion, sexuality, or any other aspect which diminishes their right to work
FOR THESE REASONS THE COALITION:
-Bases its policies on the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and the conventions and recommendations of the International Labor Organization (ILO), which Cuba has ratified.
-Aspires for a just and equitable Cuba, with a basis in solidarity and justice in the resolution of labor disputes
-Fights for decent work and just pay, which satisfies the necessities of the working class, for which the increase of salary and productivity are indispensable, as well as the reduction of market prices, both private and public, whether by foreign or national currency.
-Advocates union autonomy, under the protection of international labor standards, especially the ILO conventions 87/1948 (Convention of Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right to Organize) and 98/1949 (Convention for the Right to Organize and Collective Bargaining), which Cuba has also ratified.
-Condemns the jail sentences of those who, under the protection of Conventions 87 and 98 (noted above), form independent trade unions, or belong to one.
-Demands the state allow its workers to accept international financial aid from organizations such as the United Nations, NGOs, as well as others that would support them, to create small businesses of different types which offer new sources of employment.
-Believes it to be indispensable to modify the tax system which exploits the self-employed. Seeks to lower taxes, modify them, and ease their payments, especially for small businesses, until they reach certain level of profits.
-Urges freeing human creativity for exercising self-employment, allowing professionals and workers the right to practice, without limiting their specialties. This includes the sectors of administration, services, technicians, as well as others within the salary scale, outside of the legally established work period.
-Calls for the reduction of the amount paid into social security by women in the informal sector, according to the type of establishment and prospect of sales.
-Advocates allowing the collaboration among micro businesses to ensure affordable product prices to the population by means of supply and demand, and authorizing the Cuban people as well as the foreigners to invest in diverse sectors of production.
-Advocates for a true, active, and permanent workers’ participation in the resolution of economic problems in the industrial, service sectors and/or wherever these may arise.
-Considers essential and unavoidable the establishment of a single monetary unit with which workers should be paid for time worked.
-Supports dialogue and negotiations to improve the working relationship between workers and employers through discussions facilitating the process.
-Recognizes its authentic predecessors who defended the working class, and set forward labor’s complaints against violation of workers’ rights.
-Denounces the regime’s use of violence, tolerance of corruption, and the denial to employment.
-Respects human dignity, for which the free exercise of human rights is essential.
-Urges workers in the agricultural and rural sectors to reclaim the land, demand proper farming tools, and be allowed to freely sell their products at a fair price, with or without intermediaries.
-Encourages the development of a labor culture to serve and defend workers from the administrations and its injustices.
-Condemns the bureaucratic and ineffective structures stemming from state and/or partisan interests which retard economic development.
-Opposes labor injustices and the arbitrary and discriminatory disciplinary measures violating the integrity of workers.
-Advocates for an open forum for free expression, association, peaceful assembly, and the exchange of ideas.
- Considers it imperative to enact laws according to the reality of national context, such as: the Labor Code, the proper enforcement of labor laws, and the creation of a new Constitution of the Republic based on democratic principles.
-Urges the State to protect the elderly and disenfranchised who wander the cities and countryside due to lack of family to care for them, and/or lack of access to social assistance
-Supports the right to strike, meeting certain appropriate prerequisites, so long as the demands are just, and supported by the majority of workers concerned.
-Considers it appropriate to carry-out a work stoppage in the event of an irreconcilable dispute with management and to guarantee workers are compensated for lost time.
-Supports peaceful demonstrations demanding implementation of petitions and labor demands previously submitted to the state and denied.
-Defends the purchase and sale system of real state with appropriate registration of property.
-Believes workers have the right to receive, as compensation for time worked, a performance-related additional payment or bonus at the end of the year.
-Demands that the Workers’ Central of Cuba (CTC) recognize the existence of independent unions and that they be allowed to present candidates in elections.
-Supports allowing foreign enterprises to freely contract the workforce, thereby eliminating ideological consideration in personnel selection, and to evaluate the worker’s technical and professional capacity as well as experience.
-Demands the abolition of limitations in the choice of work or profession, ensuring that right be available.
-Urges the compliance with individual contracts and established regulations under the labor legislation currently in force in terms of work and social security.
-Believes that workers, as currently regulated, should know, control, and participate in the drafting of collective bargaining agreements; and ensure its clauses are upheld and respected.
-Rejects the “acts of repudiation” and actions that violate the physical, moral and spiritual dignity and integrity of the workers; condemns repression, harassment, torture, jail sentences, degrading, cruel and inhumane and treatment.
Presented in Havana
August, 2011
María Elena Mir Marreo
Sec. Gen: Confederación Obrera Nacional Independiente de Cuba (CONIC)
Maybell Padilla Pérez
Sec. Gen: Consejo Unitario de Trabajadores de Cuba (CUTC)
Iván Hernández Carrilo
Sec. Gen: Confederación de Tabajadores Independientes de Cuba (CTIC)
Following is a letter of support and signatories for the Declaration:
LETTER OF SUPPORT TO THE
INDEPENDENT LABOR MOVEMENT IN CUBA
In Havana, on April 24, 2011, we learned about the creation of the Independent Trade Union Coalition of Cuba (CSIC), established by the National Independent Workers’ Confederation of Cuba (CONIC), Independent Workers’ Confederation of Cuba (CTIC), and the Unitary Council of Cuban Workers (CUTC).
We, the undersigned, given the historic moment the workforce is experiencing, in which more than one million workers are faced with the process of being discharged, as a consequence of an inflated workforce, high cost of living, low salaries, a dual monetary unit, high taxes on the self-employed, limitations on private enterprise, the prohibition of association, and other aspects which limit economic development in a collapsed society with no possibility of renewal or even to regain, without the Workers’ Central support to represent its interests and defend its rights, the achievements obtained by the Cuban labor movement prior to1959, after years of fierce battles.
We consider the solidarity of such diverse independent trade unions to be a relevant and exemplifying act, and these signs of cohesion in support of the defense of Cuban workers are what persuaded us to support the arduous struggle of achieving the Coalition’s goals, while adhering to the principles on which the CSIC was founded.
Arguelles Morán, Pedro – Prisoner of Conscience. Group of 75
Artiles Montiel, Jorge Luis – Sons of Democracy Movement of Las Villas
Bermúdez Santana, Héctor Duniesky – Democratic Movement of Las Villas
Borges Alvarez, Raúl – President, Party for Christian Democratic Unity of Cuba
Carbonell Guilar, Joel Lázaro – Organization for Free Cuban Human Rights
Calvo Martínez, Eleanor – Citizens Observatory Against Discrimination (OCD)
Cruz Segreo, Adisnidia Atanacia – Pedro Luis Boitel United Commission on Human Rights
Cuesta Morua, Manuel – Arco Progressive
Delgado Sablón, Gisela – Director: Independent Library Project of Cuba
Díaz Fleitas, Eduardo – August 5th Movement. Prisoner of Conscience. Group of 75
Durán Durán, Noris – President: Madre Leonor Pérez Committee for the Freedom of Political Prisoners
Espinosa Chepe, Oscar – Independent journalist. Prisoner of Conscience. Group of 75
Farinas Hernández, Guillermo – United Anti-totalitarian Forum
Fernández Luis Lilvio – National Coordinator, Active Youth for a United Cuba (JACU)
Ferrer Garcia, José Daniels – Prisoner of Conscience. Group of 75
González Marrero, Diosdado – President: Party for Peace, Love and Liberty. Prisoner of Conscience. Group of 75
Gómez Manzano, René – Attorney and independent journalist. President: The Agramontista Current
Madrazo Luna, Juan Antonio – Citizens Committee for Racial Integration (CIR)
Moya Acosta, Angel – Prisoner of Conscience- Group of 75
Navarro Rodríguez, Félix – President: Pedro Luis Boitel Party for Democracy. Prisoner of Conscience. Group of 75
Ordonez Lizama, Guillermo – Mario Chanes de Armas Movement for Resistance and Civil Disobedience
Palacios Ruiz, Héctor – Liberal Unity of the Republic of Cuba. Prisoner of Conscience. Group of 75.
Pineda Alfonso, Yassel – Director: Independent College of Educators of Cuba.
Ramos Lauzurique, Arnaldo Ramos – Economist. Prisoner of Conscience. Group of 75
Risco Pérez, Raúl – Pinareña Democratic Alliance
Rodríguez Suárez, Conrado – Máximo Gómez Baez National Civic Movement
Sánchez Santa Cruz, Elizardo – Cuban Comission on Human Rights and National Reconciliation
Sigler Amaya, Guido – Prisoner of Conscience- Group of 75
Sigler Amaya, Juan Francisco – Independent Alternative Option Movement