Cargando...In an increasingly complex international environment, the Workers’ Central Union of Cuba (CTC), its national unions, and the National Association of Innovators and Rationalizers (ANIR) face the challenge of strengthening international relations as a strategic tool for solidarity, the defense of workers’ rights, and the search for new opportunities for collaboration and cooperation.
The current conditions in Cuba, marked by the tightening of the United States government’s economic, commercial, and financial embargo, secondary sanctions and executive orders issued by the U.S. administration, and Cuba’s continued inclusion on the unilateral and illegitimate list of states allegedly sponsoring terrorism, impose additional obstacles on the country’s economic and social life and affect trade union activities.
In response to this reality, the international relations we maintain are not limited to institutional exchanges. They also involve ongoing efforts to inform, exchange experiences, and mobilize international solidarity, especially among trade union centers, federations, organizations, and social movements.
One of the main challenges is to extend this work to all levels of leadership. Every union, association, territorial governing body, and grassroots union organization must understand that this issue is also part of the daily defense of Cuban workers’ rights.
The exchange of ideas, methods, projects, and cooperation requires strengthening ties with trade union organizations from different regions of the world, identifying common interests, and building alliances based on mutual respect and solidarity.
Today, the CTC has more than 150 friendly trade union organizations that express their support through statements, resolutions, publications, mobilizations, signature campaigns in support of our cause, donations, and projects valued in the millions of pesos. More importantly, these contributions represent significant human values and positive impacts on our workplaces and on our people.
These contributions come from countries such as the United Kingdom, France, Vietnam, China, Italy, Spain, Belgium, Norway, Canada, Greece, the Dominican Republic, and Mexico, among others. They are directed toward sensitive sectors such as healthcare, education, and food provision. They also provide financial and material assistance to support the country’s energy transition and food production.
It is also essential to take advantage of new technologies and digital networks to communicate more effectively the realities, challenges, and experiences of the Cuban trade union movement. This helps counter disinformation campaigns and facilitates direct contact with workers in other countries.
The training of union officials and leaders from sister nations constitutes another challenge. Understanding the principal international labor and political environments, their challenges and experiences, developing communication skills, and mastering digital tools allow for more effective representation of workers’ interests.
In exceptional circumstances, unity and solidarity become even more valuable. The CTC, its unions, and the ANIR have the responsibility to turn every international relationship into an opportunity to defend Cuba and its workers, while also learning from others and finding shared solutions to problems affecting the working class worldwide. There is an urgent need to globalize and strengthen solidarity and to confront the advance of fascism.
The challenge is significant: to make international relations a responsibility shared by everyone, from the national leadership to every grassroots union organization. Expanding alliances and improving communication will be key to meeting today’s challenges and helping build a future with greater social justice and dignity for workers.
*Member of the National Secretariat of the CTC, responsible for the International Relations Department.
