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CUBAN LIBRARIES
SOLIDARITY GROUP June
19, 2003 A protocol of agreement was signed in Pinar del Rio province on 3 April 2002 between Greater London Region UNISON and Pinar del Rio province National Union of Public Administration Workers (SNTAP). The purpose of this agreement is to collaborate and begin a twinning relationship in the best interests of both organisations and their members. The terms of the agreement are to: · exchange and disseminate information and publicity about each Region, their policies, campaigns and struggles · promote the exchange of delegations including trade union leaders as well as workers in the framework of national events arranged by both organisations, through Turismo Sindical (Trade Union Tourism) to know the needs of both organisations and to define in which way they can help each other · SNTAP offers Greater London Region UNISON the possibility for its trade union leaders and workers to exchange solidarity through Turismo Sindical · Greater London Region UNISON offers to provide educational and material support (and financial support for specified items, funds to be transferred via National Offices) · SNTAP from Pinar del Rio province and Greater London Region UNISON will work to develop systematic communication to keep the twinning link up to date. In line with this last point, members of the Cuban Library Solidarity Group (CLSG) met with Greater London Region UNISON officers Martin Smith and Ruby Cox and agreed to re-establish contact with Pinar del Rio SNTAP during a visit to Cuba to attend the 3rd International Congress on Culture and Development held in Havana from 9-12 June 2003. On the 9th June we met Silvia Matute Carrion who is the Secretary for International Affairs at SNTAP head office in Havana. She was very keen that the link between Greater London Region UNISON and Pinar del Rio province SNTAP be re-established and developed. On the 13th June we met with Jorge Luis Venereo (General Secretary) and Rosalba Inglesias (Organiser) from Pinar del Rio province SNTAP. They were accompanied by Eddy Brown who works in the Department of International Relations at the Central de Trabajadores de Cuba (CTC) or Trades Union Congress. We reviewed the Protocol of Agreement and discussed ways in which it could be implemented and developed: · representatives of Greater London UNISON are invited to attend the Pinar del Rio SNTAP provincial conference on 6 September 2003 · representatives of Pinar del Rio SNTAP could be invited to attend the UNISON conference in June 2004 · an English version of the Cuban trade union newspaper Trabajores can be accessed via its website at http://www.trabajadores.cubaweb.cu/index_english.htm · copies of the UNISON journal could be sent to Pinar del Rio SNTAP · Greater London Region UNISON could contribute to the refurbishment of and equipment for a classroom to be used as a centre for workers education Notes Jorge has been General Secretary of Pinar del Rio SNTAP for four years. The union represents 9,700 workers in 37 different institutions. These include banks, diplomats , joint ventures (Eg Cubalsi), distance learning, economics, town planning, statistics, court rooms (tribunals), legal system, political organisations under public administration, finance, garbage collection, tax payments, insurance companies, and funeral parlours. There are 390 local branches of SNTAP within Pinar del Rio province. There are 1825 grass root trade union leaders. All trade union officials are elected by the membership. Elections take place at workplace, municipality, provincial and national levels. The SNTAP provincial conference is held every five years and is attended by delegates from the 37 member institutions. Pinar del Rio SNTAP has two full time officers (Jorge and Rosalba) and seven alternate members. There are 14 municipalities in Pinar del Rio. Each municipality has a full time officer. There is a monthly meeting between Jorge, Rosalba and the municipal officers. Every six months each SNTAP official meets with their union members for a "rendering of accounts". There are good relations between Cuban trade unions and the Cuban Communist Party. They have the same objectives but play separate roles. They share the same patriotic feelings and support the Revolution. The principle functions of Cuban trade unions are: campaigning; guiding the workers; labour duties and discipline; health and safety; organising meetings; negotiating production agreements; salaries and wages; quality in production; sick and incapacitated workers; social welfare; training; delivering national programmes locally; labour legislation.. In Cuba all workers have legal rights, enshrined in a Labour Code and legislation. Union membership is not compulsory but 3.5 million workers (98%) in Cuba belong to trade unions and in Pinar del Rio SNTAP union membership is 100%. The union plays a role in the national economy, political institutions and public services. Trade unions represent workers who are in dispute. Each workplace has organs of labour justice, which hold public hearings. These organs are made up of one manager, one trade unionist and one worker. Hearings are heard up to four times a year. Cases which cannot be decided locally go to court. There is a Ministry of Labour and Social Security and each Ministry has its own salaries budget. Workers are organised according to the institution they work in rather than according to the jobs they do. For example, everyone in a hotel or a hospital will be in the same union. The CTC represents 19 trade unions in the following sectors: public sector workers; communications; light industry; metal workers; science and technology; agriculture and live stock; construction; commerce and gastronomy; education, science and sports; culture; fishing and merchant marine; health; tourism; tobacco; chemicals, mining and energy; transport; sugar; food and commercials; civil and armed forces. The Cuban Libraries Solidarity Group looks forward to working with Greater London Region UNISON and Pinar del Rio province SNTAP to implement, develop and maintain their protocols of agreement, collaboration and twinning link.
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