Cuba

THE message from our Cuban comrades at the recent TUC- backed Unions for Cuba conference was loud and clear. Political pressure on the British government was required if Cuba is to survive any onslaught from the United States. Washington has already made clear that it will continue its dangerous policy of aggression against Cuba. Unions agreed to prioritise a political campaign to ensure that the British government will actively oppose any interference or aggression against Cuba. Attending the conference were 27 - 17 of them women - Cuban trade union leaders from a myriad of industries, including. health, railways, seafaring workers, mining, energy, education, and communication, public sector, science and sports, journalists, metal workers and tobacco. US agression We heard from various speakers how Cuba’s position in world politics is made difficult by President Bush’s campaign to alienate the country. In the run up to the presidential elections in Florida bumper stickers proudly proclaimed “Iraq today Cuba tomorrow”. US secretary for Western Hemisphere and Latin America Roger Noriega has stated that the US government is moving “swiftly and inexorably to removing Fidel Castro and the apparatus that has kept him in power”. The US has dedicated $59 million towards activities to hasten ‘regime change’. Including funding anti-Cuba campaigns to undermine the Cuban tourist industry and further devastate the economy. Our own General Secretary Bob Crow spoke with great passion about the problems in Cuba and called upon the British government publicly to distance itself from the Bush policy on Cuba and to foster better relations with Havana. “Only a couple of months ago, my union sent a container to Cuba and held a garden party to raise money for medical supplies and we sponsored a plaque to the comrades from the NUR and NUS who had fought and fallen in 1936 fighting fascism. “These men were proud members of the International brigades of Spain and that spirit lives on in RMT,” he said to applause. Rodney Bickerstaff entertained us with the vision of Tony Blair visiting Fidel Castro in Cuba for his holidays rather than Italian far- right leader Burlesconi in Italy. He might learn something to his advantage, Rodney said. “It was important that we always keep Cuba to the forefront of our minds and at every opportunity talk about what is happening over there. “If we do nothing else when we leave here we must always after every conversation say ‘and then there’s Cuba’,” he said. Blockade General Secretaries of the National Union of Merchant, Marine, Ports and Fishing Workers, and the Secretary of the Provincial Union of transport workers, Alberto Fuentes and Victor Alvarez, told how the US blockade affected them. They explained the Torricelli law which established that all ships that touch Cuban ports cannot go to the US for six months. No ships may even call in for repairs or emergencies. No Cuban worker on board can touch land. No one can contract Cuban workers on ships. Because of the blockade the one and three-quarter million small boats that are registered in the US cannot visit. This represents over $52 million in potential income. Victor Alvarez told us that many countries including Japan, its biggest importer, can not buy fish from Cuba due to the blockade. The blockade also prevents them from getting parts for trains. I came away from the conference reinvigorated. My hope is that we do more than pass resolutions and we can make the government listen. An overwhelming majority of MPs who were asked: “Would you support military action against Cuba by the United States?” have responded in writing that they would not support it. I am not very good on quotes but on this occasion one comes to mind. “All it needs for evil to rise, is for good men to stand idly by.” We cannot afford to stand idly by. G for more information on solidarity and Cuba go to www.cuba- solidarity.org.uk VIVA CUBA:CTC Deputy General secretary Franscisco Duran Harvey addresses conference Greg Hewitt reports on the recent trade union conference in London against US aggression towards Cuba RMT general secretary Bob crow called upon the British Goverment to foster better relations with Havana UNITED: Cuban delegate Alberto Fuentes with retired RMT shipping secretary Tony Santamera 31