Cuba

The TUC is committed to campaign against the decades long illegal US Blockade of Cuba. The TUC wishes to see the blockade lifted unconditionally in line with UN Resolutions and has successfully secured the support of the ITUC for this position. We also wish to see the British government and the EU develop their engagement and trading relationship with Cuba, as it has for the rest of the Caribbean. The TUC has twice welcomed the General Secretary of the Cuban Workers Federation (the CTC) to our Congress in 2005 and 2009. In 2009 Brendan Barber also became the first TUC General Secretary to visit Cuba. The TUC will continue to work to develop links between trade unionists in Britain and Cuba. The TUC is also an active supporter of the campaign to secure the release of the Miami 5, the five Cuban intelligence officers detained in US prisons.

European Trade Union Solidarity Conference with Cuba and Latin America

In February 2006, the TUC supported a conference organised by the Cuba Solidarity Campaign which brought together trade unionists from across Europe to discuss what could be done to build solidarity with Cuba against the US blockade and in favour of developing closer links such as trade deals. TUC General Secretary Brendan Barber and TUC President Gloria Mills addressed the conference, along with many other trade union leaders. A report of the conference in pdf format appears here, and the speeches are available here