June,
2001
Report of
violations of the ILO's International Labor Standars by the government
of Cuba (Cont.)
Chapter II
Complaints Against
the Cuban Government by International Labor Organizations
In March 2001 an
article written by Renato Recio in "Trabajadores" the CTC's official
workers newspaper provided another frontal attack against the
independent labor movement of the island. Ideologically approved by the
upper echelons of the Cuban Communist Party the writer attempts to
connect the creation of these organizations to Miami based exiles and
Washington D.C. by referring to the following. "The Chairman of
the Cuban American National Foundation demands the U.S. government take
an even more aggressive posture against Cuba, which should include
taking actions against the labor movement of our country. It is in this
manner that the Chairman proposed a cooperative program between the
U.S. government and the AFL-CIO geared at teaching Cubans their labor
rights as recognized by international workers"
Far from the reality
of the Cuban worker the writer reveals his lack of first hand knowledge
of the independent labor movement of the island. The creation and support
of the independent labor movement has occurred naturally from within the
island without the help of external forces. The movement has in fact
seen much solidarity from abroad although, not necessarily by those
mentioned in the Article.
The government and
the CTC deny the right of workers to seek assistance, support and solidarity
from international organizations that could lead to the creation and
defense of another national Cuban labor unions. The CTC itself not only
relied on the financial, political and material backing from the Soviet
block for over 30 years, they have also helped to indoctrinate
thousands of Latin American labor officials. Connecting the AFL-CIO to
the CIA and Cuba's burgeoning labor movement is used by the government
as a means of justifying the increased repression by State security
forces against the leaders of the opposition's labor movement.
The country's deepening
economic, political and social crisis coupled with the lack of rights
and true representation on behalf of the CTC, the accelerated distancing
of the CTC from the fundamental problems of the working class and the
loss of all rights that had been won by workers before the existence of
Socialism in Cuba are without a doubt the catalyst for the evolution of
the Independent Labor Movement.
Playing a major
determining role in the civil non-violent opposition movement against
the totalitarian government of the island the leaders and activist of
this movement have become targets of provocations, beatings,
confinement and torture in a desperate attempt by a repressive regime
to drown and silence them.
The article by Mr.
Recio concludes by stating, "They may find mercenaries who'll invent
exalting names for phantom organizations, but they will never be able
to create nothing more than ridiculous groups, for the simple fact
that, our workers by use of the democratic right will never elect the
agents of the counterrevolution, the annexionists or the divisionists
nor those who in the most sacred hour of our country would cowardly
lend themselves to bend at the knees and sell themselves to the enemies
of their people." This was not the first time this train of
thought was made public. Pedro Ross the secretary general of the CTC
and member of the Polit Buro made this statement verbatim on 5/1/99
This last paragraph
manifests the aggressive attitude towards alternative labor organizations
and the lack of knowledge of the complaints international labor
organizations have made for years against the Cuban government for
denying workers the freedom of association and the right to organize.
The following are
summaries of complaints against the Cuban government made by the
International Confederation Of Free Trade Unions (ICFTU)
2000's Report
#320, Case #1961, (Vol. LXXXIII, 2000, Series B, #1)
According to the ILO
the address of the CUTC can not be unknown to the Cuban government as:
v Documents received
by ILO as a result of this complaint included the constitutional documents
of the CUTC, which clearly indicate the location of the aforementioned
property where the search and seizure took place.
v The Cuban government
knows of the CUTC as the latter has officially addressed the government
with communiqués that prominently display the address of said
organization.
v As in all countries
of the world State Security should keep a record of the official actions
and activities its officers partake in, with a clear indication of the
location of where search and seizures take place and all information
pertinent to the case as well as an inventory of documents seized.
The WLF also cites
new incidents, which can be considered violations of the freedom of
association and the right to organize committed against the members of
the CUTC.
Mr. Pedro Pablo Alvarez
Ramos, president of the CUTC was denied by the Cuban government the
right to travel abroad several days on union business. For the WLF this
confirms that the Cuban government denies the right of its citizens to
freely circulate in particular when it comes to individuals who defend
the principles of free trade unions as established in ILO's, 87th and
98th Conventions.
1998's Report
#311, Case #1961, (Vol. LXXXI, 1998, Series B, #3)
In its communiqué
dated March 26th, 1998 the World Labor Federation reveals that on
November 11, 1997 members of Cuban State Security forces forced their
way into the homes of Mr. Pedro Pablo Alvarez Ramos, president of the
CUTC (Unitary Counsel of Cuban Workers) and Mr. Vicente Escobal
Rabeiro, director of ICESI (Cuban Institute of Independent Labor Union
Studies). State Security forces conducted a thorough search and
confiscated documents relating to the activities of the independent
labor movement in Cuba. It is important to point out that amongst these
documents was the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, declaration of
principles of the CUTC, books from the Latin American Workers Central
and other office and personal material.
The Committee notes
that the Cuban government's observations in particular:
v As of this date we
have not been able to prove the veracity of the allegations as the
address of the aforementioned home which was searched has not been
given therefore making it impossible to verify.
v There does not
exist in any work center an organization by the name of CUTC nor are there
any worker collectives which respond to said organization.
v Mr. Alvarez Ramos
and Escobal Rabeiro are not union officials, they do not represent any
worker's collective nor do they exercise any union activities anywhere
in the country.
As always the Cuban
government and its official CTC intend to not recognize an independent
labor organization and its officials at the same time it denies the
knowledge of any search and seizure.
1997's Report
#308, Case #1805, (Vol. LXXX, 1997, Series B, #3)
On February 19th,
1997, the CTDC made a call "to all organizations, syndicates,
committees, institutes, unions or whosever denominates themselves as a
champion workers rights integrate into the Parlamento Obrero
Independiente (Independent Workers Parliament) for the defense of all
Cuban workers." On February 21st, as a result of this call for
solidarity the Cuban government arrested and detained various union
officials. Mr. Jose Orlando Gonzalez Bridon, national executive
president of the CTDC was detained without charges for 10 hours. He was
arrested again the following day and freed February 25th. On February
23rd, 1997 Mr. Gustavo Toirac Gonzalez secretary general and Rafael
Garcia Suarez, head of recruitment were arrested then released several
days later.
In its response the
Cuban government cynically states, "it is totally false that a wave of
repression has been unleashed by the Government, as stated in such
report. According to investigations conducted, Jose Orlando Bridon,
Gustavo Toirac and Rafael Garcia Suarez, are free and enjoy the rights
of all citizens. These persons are not union officials nor do they
represent any workers collective."
1996's Report
#305, Case #1805, (Vol. LXXIX, 1996, Series B, #3)
The Cuban government
replied by underlying its difficulty in locating information relating
to the persons mentioned in the complaints, as "none of these
individuals are recognized as unionists nor are the related incidents,
mentioned by the Committee of a union nature. These persons are not
representatives of any workers collective nor are they connected
through employment to any business or entity in Cuba." The
Committee of Free Trade Unions insisted once again that Cuba reply
about:
v The lack of official
recognition of the CTDC (Confederation of Democratic Workers of Cuba)
v The detention,
harassment and threats against the executive directors of the CTDC
Please Note: As of
the date of this report the Cuban Ministry of Justice has not officially
recognized the CTDC nor any other independent labor union.
1994's Report
#300, Case #1805, (Vol. LXXVIII, 1995, Series B, #3)
On October 20th 1994
the International Confederation of Free Trade Unions (ICFTU) allegated
that "Mr. Rafael Gutierrez one of the leaders of the USTC (Union
Sindical de Trabajadores de Cuba), was twice denied the permission to
travel outside of Cuba to personally participate in ICFTU's Committee
for Human and Labor Rights gatherings which took place in November 1993
and July 1994.
The ICFTU also adds
that they have been informed by the CTDC (Confederacion de Trabajadores
Democraticos de Cuba that Ms. Edith Lupe, coordinating secretary of the
Union Front (Frente Sindical) of the CTDC was cited to appear May 24,
1994 before the Department of State Security located at the Reparto Capri
where she was verbally threatened and told "she would disappear or be
imprisoned for 3 years" if she didn't abandon her organizing
activities for the CTDC. During the aggression she was also
strip-searched.
On August 2, 1994
at Avenue 19 of the Reparto Siboney, in the municipality Playa in Havana,
Mr. Lazaro Corp Yera, secretary general of the USTC, and his minor son
Ray Corp Morales, were savagely beaten by three men with clubs, suffering
grave lesions. The ICFTU has reason to believe that the assailants are
connected to Cuban security forces.
In its communiqué
dated June 7th, 1995 the ICFTU alleges that Cuba's State Security
Department maintains a strong hostile offensive towards the members of
National Executive Committee and Frentes Sindical which comprise the
CTDC (Confederation of Democratic Cuban Workers), as is the case of
Juan Guarino Martinez Guillen (president), Jesus Cardenas Lopez (vice
president) and Rene Jose Montero Garay (secretary international
relations). This organization (CTDC) has presented the proper
documentation required to obtain its just recognition by the Cuban
government, although there is little hope of being able to accomplish
this.
The ICFTU indicates
that on September 29th 1994 at 1300 hours Mr.Rene Jose Montero Garay was
cited to appear before the PNR (National Revolutionary Police) located
at Dragones Street on the corner of Lealtad in Central Havana. Mr. Montero
Garay was interrogated and threatened by various officers of the
repressive organization warning him that he like Mr. Martinez Guillen,
president of the CTDC and Jesus Cardenas would be sentenced to 12 to 15
years of imprisonment if they kept militating in the CTDC and defending
the working class of the Cuba. On November 10th 1994 at 1440 hours Mr.
Juan Guarino Martinez Guillen, president of the CTDC and Mr. Jesus
Cardenas, vice president of the same, were detained by State Security
forces and submitted to offensive and threatening interrogations.
The ICFTU indicates
that according to its sources Mr. Eduardo Lamas Campos a member of the
Frente Sindical of the Refinery "Julio Antonio Mella" of Santiago
de Cuba, Oriente was expulsed from his labor center for merely
proclaiming the right of better working conditions and better food as
it is of poor quality and quantity.
1993's Report
#287, Case #1628, (Vol. LXXVI, 1993, Series B, #2)
The Cuban government
attempts to justify its discriminatory policy against the opposition by
stating, "this present situation is not about offering union
solidarity to legitimate organizations created by the free will of the
workers, but rather by actions of the same nature which motivate the
Torricelli Law, which aspires to bend the will of the Cuban people not
only by hunger and denial of the sale of medication for the workers of
Cuba, but also by financing the creation of organizations which behind
the façade of a union activity foment labor sabotage and attempt
at subordinating union officials." This response, primed towards
intolerance shows the government's continuous intention of trying to
connect the U.S. government to the purely domestic problem of the Cuban
workers lack of true representation.
1992's Report
#284, Case #1628 (Vol. LXXV, 1992 Series B, #3):
The Committee makes
note that its governing body is concerned over the following: 1) In spite
of the expiration of the 60 day legal response time Cuba's Ministry of
Justice has failed to registered nor recognized any of it's personnel
which may be integrated into the UGTC the independent (General Workers
Union of Cuba); 2) The arrest and 48 hour detainment of the UGTC president
Mr. Rafael Gutierrez, who was violently attacked by a "rapid response
brigade" (a government goon squad) which participated in a
government sponsored "act of repudiation". Mr. Gutierrez was
surrounded by the "intervention brigade" and held down and
beaten as he was forced to swallow UGTC documents. He was then thrown
into an unmarked vehicle and taken to police station #10 in the
municipality the 10th of October in Havana where he was kept
incommunicado or 48 hours, while his family was told he would imprisoned
for a very long time. The committee requested the Cuban government urgently
respond to all allegations relative to the attack on Mr. Gutierrez. The
committee underlines the right of workers to constitute organizations
the deem necessary, implying in particular the possibility of creating
(in a safe and secure climate) independent organizations apart from any
currently existing entities. Mr. Rafael Gutierrez is currently in exile
outside of the country.
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