Castro's continued persecution to Cuban unionists
Gerardo E. Martínez
http://www.icftu.org/displaydocument.asp?Index=991215640&Language=EN
There was no change in Cuba as the government continued its persecution of
independent trade unionists. The long promised reform of the island's labour
legislation has still not materialised.
The legislation - No freedom of association
The Cuban authorities only recognise a single national trade union centre,
the Confederación de Trabajadores Cubanos (CTC), heavily controlled by the
State and the Communist Party which appoints its leaders. Membership is
compulsory for all workers. Before a worker can be hired they have to sign a
contract in which they promise to support the Communist Party and all it
represents. The government explicitly prohibits independent trade unions.
No collective bargaining
Collective bargaining does not exist. The State controls the employment
market and decides on pay and working conditions in the state sector. In the
private sector, the 1995 Foreign Investment Law requires foreign investors
to contract workers through state employment agencies. The investors pay the
agencies in dollars, but the agencies pay the workers the equivalent figure
in pesos, pocketing up to 95% of their salaries. Workers have to undergo a
political investigation by the State before they can be hired.
The right to strike is not authorised by law and is totally non-existent.
The government has still failed to act on promises to reform the labour
code.
Rights in practice
Several independent trade unions do exist in practice, in a very hostile
environment. The government actively harasses these unions, which it sees as
dissident organisations. Workers who seek to join them are persecuted and
can lose their jobs. Workers are required to keep an eye on their colleagues
and report any "dissident" activity.
Legislation and actual practice in Cuba fail to comply with international
labour standards in many areas, despite the fact that the government is
required to promote and comply with such standards. While unemployment
stands at just 3.3%, the reality of the labour situation in Cuba is totally
at odds with standards guaranteeing minimum trade union freedoms and rights.
Trade unions persecuted
While independent trade unions do exist, the government obstructs their
activities, chiefly via the restrictions set out in the 'Associations Act'
(Ley de Asociaciones). Anyone who joins an independent union runs the risk
of being persecuted and losing their job. Independent labour activists are
periodically arrested, harassed, threatened with prosecution and pressured
to go into exile.
Events in 2001
The year began against a background of escalating arrests and harassment of
those engaged in 'counter-revolutionary' activities, including trade union
activists. Many independent trade unionists were subjected to physical
attacks, dimissals, arrests and even imprisonment .
Threats
On January 26, Lazaro Estanislaos Ramos, a delegate for the Pinar del Rio
branch of the independent union Confederación Obrera Nacional Independiente
de Cuba (CONIC) was threatened at his home by a State Security officer,
Captain Rene Godoy. The officer warned him that his confederation had no
future in Pinar del Rio and that sanctions against the opposition would get
worse, culminating if necessary in the disappearance of dissidents.
Independent union meetings obstructed
The authorities went to considerable lengths to disrupt the CONIC's first
national congress, held on September 3. Aleida Godínez Soler, General
Secretary of the CONIC, and Alicia Zamora Labrada, were questioned on August
9 by officials from the State Security Department (DSE). They were subjected
to verbal harassment for two hours, and warned against holding their
congress, as the DSE would not tolerate any "counter-revolutionary"
meetings. On the day of the congress, the CONIC building was surrounded by
security police, who checked the identities of everyone entering the
building. The delegates from Guantánamo, Granma and Las Tunas were turned
away, a was Víctor Rolando Arroy, a member of the CONIC executive. The
Guantánamo representative was a substitute for Jorge Dante Abad Herrera, the
local CONIC leader, who had been ordered to report to the DSE that day.
Leaders of the CUTC suffered similar harassment when they sought to organise
a meeting. Juan Carlos Martínez Rodríguez, organising secretary, and Mateo
Romeu Ramos, Pinar del Río regional secretary, were detained by DSE agents
from August 10 to 11, while others faced warnings and threats, all aimed at
preventing the CUTC from holding a conference.
Continued persecution
Another independent unionist, Manuel Lantigua of the Consejo Unitario de
Trabajadores de Cuba (CUTC) was stoned and beaten at the entrance of his
home on July 9 by members of the paramilitary "Rapid Response Brigades".
Independent labour activists Cecilia Chavez and Jordanis Rivas, who have
been detained by security forces on several occasions, had their home
searched and publications confiscated on December 14. They had previously
been threatened with imprisonment if they continued their pro-labour
activities.
Ill-treatment in prison
There were also several reports during the year of the ill-treatment of
trade unionists serving prisons sentences. These included a brutal physical
attack on April 12 by prison guards on Lázaro García Farah, a member of the
CONIC. Another independent trade unionist, Georgis Pileta Laurencio was also
beaten by guards, after being sent to a punishment cell, on April 27.
Events in 2002
Independent trade unionist arrested
On February 12, Luis Torres Cardosa, a union activist and representative of
the National Independent Workers Confederation of Cuba (CONIC), was arrested
by three police officers at his home in Guantánamo province and taken to
Unit 1 of the National Revolutionary Police (PNR), where he was interrogated
The arrest came in response to Luis Torres Cardosa's activities on February
5, when, along with more than 60 other people, he protested against the
government-sponsored eviction of a family from their home.
Trade union meeting disrupted
On September 6 CONIC held its second national assembly amidst reprisals by
the regime. The political police organised a brutal operation to prevent
CONIC from holding the meeting, threatening to charge CONIC's leaders with
instigating revolt if any demonstrations were held in the area around the
meeting venue. The police also stopped anyone trying to enter the building,
demanded their ID and asked the purpose of their visit. They also prevented
unionists from gaining access to the meeting, in some cases using violence
to expel them from the area around the building.
Hospital in Havana closed following report by independent trade union
On December 15, following a report by workers in the Independent Health
Union (a CONIC member), the provincial directorate of the Ministry of Public
Health ordered the immediate closure of the Lebredo Maternity and Children's
Hospital, located next to the Julio Trigo General Teaching Hospital in
Havana.
On December 4-5 the union's executive committee held a meeting with workers
at the hospital. They signed a document in which they blamed the government
for the potential consequences of a major industrial accident caused by the
critically deteriorating condition of the hospital.
Events in 2003
Events are unfolding. On Arpil 2003, a total of 75 people were condemned to
long prison terms (up to 28 years without parole), including a long list of
unionists, among writers, reporters and independent librarians.
--