Unions for Cuba: conclusion - speech by Kay Carberry

Speaking note for KAY CARBERRY

Saturday 6 November 2004

Cuba Solidarity Campaign/TUC conference

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Colleagues, I hope that today's event has been both useful and inspirational. I haven't been able to be here all day due to other union business, but I understand that it's been a really intense day, and I shall be referring to some of the outcomes from the discussions as I speak.

I will also be giving out some homework - some for you, some for the TUC.

I hope that you already have a full list of things that you are going to do once you get back home, or to your workplace or branch, so I won't be adding a great deal to your to do list.

But there are clearly some things that the TUC needs to do.

First, as Jeannie said this morning, we need to keep up the pressure on the Foreign Office about Britain's relationship with Cuba and the EU's common position. The TUC and the FCO have a formal advisory council which next meets this Wednesday - we've raised Cuba there before, and we will do so again this week. We hope that by the time Britain holds the Presidency of the EU, in the second half of next year, we will be able to put in place a more positive EU line towards Cuba.

Second, as Jeannie also said, we will be seeking to persuade our international trade union colleagues to take a more positive role in defending Cuba against the blockade and the threat of military intervention. We also hope to see more signs of co-operation between the ICFTU and the CTC, and between Cuban industrial unions and the Global Union Federations.

And third, we will continue to work with the CTC at the ILO and more generally, in line with our Memorandum of Understanding. A key element of that is indeed precisely to increase the understanding we have, so we will be exchanging views with our Cuban colleagues about a range of industrial relations issues - engaging in the friendly debate that we can only have if we are open and honest with each other.

So, onto your homework - what are you going to do?

Well first, you're going to be reporting back, of course - not just because that's what trade union delegates always do, in the spirit of accountability, but because we want many more trade unionists than were able to attend to hear about this conference, to know what we have said and done, to learn about Cuba's trade unions and workers.

Second, we want trade unions in Britain and in Cuba, and workers in both countries, to become more familiar with each other - to develop twinning between unions, branches, women's committees, youth forums and workplaces. This might involve formal exchanges (and don't forget, they have to come to us as well as us going to the Caribbean - honestly, the weather can be bad there too as the recent hurricanes have shown) or communication by email and letter.

Third, we want unions in Britain to put pressure on MPs and MEPs to back up the work the TUC will be doing with the Government, and to urge their global union federations to develop constructive relations with their Cuban counterparts.

Above all, we want to learn from each other. Britain's unions need to learn about how Cuba has established such marvellous education, health and welfare systems, and about how Cuba manages to maintain internationalism and also attract foreign investment.

And we need to teach them about organising and bargaining in a global economy, so that they can keep up with the pace of change at home and get ready for the further, greater changes that will happen when (and I stress - when) we lift the blockade.

Before I finish, can I say a heartfelt thank you to everyone from the Cuba Solidarity Campaign for the work they have done to make this conference happen - the TUC really couldn't have done it alone, and indeed we relied on Rob Miller and his staff for virtually all of it - although thanks also to the Congress Centre staff who have been working here today.

And lastly, thanks to all of you too - to our Cuban visitors and to the union delegates and speakers. Workers around the world have more in common than our differences, and it is the job of trade unions to make the connections, bring people together and build global solidarity. It's our world, so let's make globalisation work for us!