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Global solidarity on May Day
Nuria Barbosa León
Delegations from around the world will participate
in celebrations for International Workers’ Day; a
national celebration of a political, productive and
cultural nature. As is traditional, thousands of
people will gather in different areas; in towns and
neighborhoods throughout the country to show support
for the Revolution; condemn the criminal U.S
economic blockade against the country and demand the
release of Cuban anti-terrorists Gerardo Hernández,
Ramón Labañino and Antonio Guerrero, currently
imprisoned in the U.S.
 With
the maxim of: efficiency and unity for our
socialism, celebrations recognizing outstanding
workers and honoring union leaders, are taking place
April 7- May 5. The march through the Plaza de la
Revolución in Havana is arguably the most impressive
event due to its size, originality and energy. In
response to President Raúl Castro’s call, made at
the 2014 20th Congress of the Cuban Workers
Federation (CTC), Cuban workers will “make the earth
tremble.”
The
17 national unions and their 3,500,000 members will
organize the order of the march, programmed to close
with young workers, students and soldiers,
highlighting the unity between generations in the
Cuban revolutionary process. In the days leading up
to May 1, a conference for Latin American and
Caribbean union leaders will be held, organized by
the Regional Office for the World Federation of
Trade Unions, and an international workshop on the
history of the workers movement in Cuba and around
the world, hosted by the Cuban Institute of History.
Ernesto Freire Casañas, head of CTC International
Relations department, stated that the International
Solidarity with Cuba meeting will take place May 2,
with the participation of many union leaders and
activists. “The 6th Our America Union Meeting (ESNA),
will take place May 3-4, addressing topics such as
the lack of employment opportunities for women and
young people. Its purpose is to promote integration
between countries in the region and to coordinate
common strategies in the struggle for the unity and
wellbeing of the continent,” he said.
In
addition, he commented that the majority of union
representatives are expected to arrive April 29-30,
and will visit various workplaces, meeting with
other union members. Discussions will be held
between national and international union
administrators, along with talks between the vice
presidents of the World Trades Union Federation and
other union leaders from Latin America and the
Caribbean.
Rigoberto Zarza Ross, representative of the
Cuban Friendship Institute
(ICAP)
Asia
and Oceania department, spoke with Granma
International about what goes in to organizing the
solidarity brigades, which will include more than
240 participants from 22 countries.
“The
brigades major motivation is to march with the Cuban
people on May Day, and at the same time offer
solidarity and learn about different aspects of
Cuban life, in the present context,” said Zarza
Ross, who will be managing the brigades.
May
Day arrives in Cuba amidst important changes to the
economy, including wage increases for health workers
and athletes, and a greater number of non state
workers - 250,000 of whom are currently members of
various national unions. Friends from around the
world and millions of Cubans will be celebrating May
Day, showing that unity between workers is the only
way to build a better world.
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