Milagro de la Caridad Pérez Caballero, a member of the National Secretariat of Cuba's CTC labor federation (Cuban Workers' Central), began a speaking tour in Spain on April 14. Spain's Coordinating Organization for Solidarity with Cuba organized her trip. Her interview with journalist Enric Llopis appeared May 29 on rebelion.org. The link is:http://www.rebelion.org
The opening for emerging sectors like self employed workers or cooperatives, or the arrival of foreign investment in Cuba doesn't mean enterprises of the socialist state will no longer predominate in the country's economy. To the contrary, "That sector assumes the major burden for developing the economy," says Milagro de la Caridad Pérez Caballero, deputy of the National Assembly of People's Power and member of the National Secretariat of the CTC. The labor leader participated in a discussion of "New labor relations and Cuban unionism in the context of updating socialism," organized by the José Martí Cuba Friendship Association of Valencia.
Question: The 20th Congress of the Cuba Workers' Central (CTC) was held in February. What were the main conclusions?
A- It took place after more than a year of activities and programs developed throughout the country with workers and the Cuban labor movement. We brought to the Congress a political, social, and economic platform already approved based on the more than 300 guidelines approved by the 6th Party Congress. The CTC Congress relied upon three working commissions for elaborating upon and approving decisions. In the final sessions of February 12, 30 working objectives were approved for the labor movement for the next five years. They covered economic and political-ideological areas, also union organizing and international relations. Included were matters like participation of workers in the management of the economy, validation of the socialist principle of "For each according to his work, from each according to his ability," and work toward more efficient functioning of the union.
Q - How is trade unionism organized in Cuba?
A- We have a single, centralized formation, founded 75 years ago, in 1939. The CTC, presently made up of 17 unions, has always been united with its revolution, its Party, and its historic leaders. All workers who voluntarily and consciously want to do so are affiliated with the central organization. The different unions of the Central correspond to different sectors of the economy: construction, public administration, industry, food and fisheries, among others.
Q - At the end of 2013, the Cuban parliament approved the new Labor Code, which replaces that of 1984. What are the main features of the recently introduced new legislation?
A- A full process of consultation with workers preceded the Labor Code (or "law of laws," as we call it). Among principal changes, the opening to non-state work and recognition of new methods within the Cuban economy stand out, although within that economy, enterprises of the socialist state will always predominate. The Code includes measures aimed at tempering the changes being introduced in the economy - for example, a work contract for "indeterminate" time for a group of work activities. Furthermore, we are applying to non-state work considerations like weekly time off, income, working conditions, and others like safety and health on the job. Also collective bargaining is being updated.
Q - What does 'updating' of the Cuban economic model imply?
A- There's no idea of an exchange of property. I have to make that very clear. The means of production remain in the hands of workers. First, taking into consideration the economic situation of the country (determined by the U.S. "blockade" for 55 years, and the economic, financial, environmental, and food crisis on a global scale that also affects Cuba), we are working on "updating" the model based principally on "modernization" of business management. We are trying for more efficiency in our companies - and a more prosperous, sustainable socialism. In any case, enterprises of the socialist state will remain preponderant and will take on the fundamental burden of developing the economy.
Q - In the commissions of the CTC Congress, did you consider the salary question?
A - The business of salaries in Cuba today is one of the workers' biggest concerns. But, to arrive at salary reform, other premises have to be linked, among them elimination of tips and inappropriate subsidies, the opening to non-state work, elimination of items sold at inflated prices, and increased productivity; because one has to create wealth for eventually to be able to distribute it. Also measures are being adopted leading to workers' incomes being raised, but based always on productivity being increased. For example, approval of salary schemes will depend on how the companies perform. But we have to deal with other premises. In Cuba education and health for people are free; there is social security covering all pensioners or retired people; also social assistance and security for citizens. All these elements make up part of the income workers and all Cubans receive equally. Furthermore, today the average life expectancy of Cubans is 77 years. 71 percent of the population relies upon a university degree. All of this has to be taken into consideration.
Q- The principle of social and economic equality....
A- Of course, but it's a given, and logically so, that an equivalence exists between work carried out and the contribution it's going to yield. So, one looks for the principle of socialist distribution being fulfilled, specifically: "to each according to his work, from each according to his abilities." Embedded within the Guidelines is the idea that socialism is equality of rights, of duties, and of conditions, but it's not "egalitarianism."
Q - The "opening up" of the Cuban economy implies a growth in the sectors of cooperatives, and the self-employed. Could these emerging sectors promote a more individualistic mentality? Do you suppose that's a challenge for the union?
A- As regards the individualism that you refer to, there is a very high rate of schooling in Cuba, and a society formed with values. In addition, the CTC and its unions represent and attend to all workers, both state and non-state workers, also pensioners and retired people. That is to say, not one more union is being created. What is happening is that we are enlarging resources for affiliation so as to accommodate additional self-employed workers. There are more than 400,000 non-state workers, of whom more than 75 percent are affiliated with various unions according to what they do. Unions of the CTC today comply with two fundamental missions: organizing worker formations on the one hand and also representing and defending them. They all have the same rights and duties.
Q - I asked you about new challenges for trade unionism and the world of work. What's the implication of the new law on foreign investments or the Mariel Special Development Zone?
A- Legislation on foreign investments has been approved by the National Assembly of People's Power, but it's not yet come into effect. In any case, everyone is a worker, and in Cuba the law applies to everybody equally. The Mariel Development Zone (a project the first stage of which has now been inaugurated) is one more entity where modifications within the Labor Code and the Law of Foreign Investments are being applied. Workers belong to different unions, although in this case the national union of construction workers predominates.
Q - Lastly, what is the present employment situation in Cuba?
The unemployment rate in Cuba is under five percent. And that takes into consideration only 50,000 workers with multiple jobs. Said in another way, people in Cuba have work and don't really need extra employment. They fill posts in work sectors like agriculture, community services, varying services in the economy and public administration, bookkeeping... The Cuban economy today needs more workers for working, because the essence of "updating" the model depends upon developing our economy, Furthermore, non-state work has opened up new sources of employment. And the development of foreign investment likewise generates more workplaces.