22nd Congress of the Cuban Workers' Federation to be a deep and crucial debate

HAVANA, Cuba, Jan 29 (ACN) The organizational process of the 22nd Congress of the Cuban Workers' Federation (CTC by its Spanish acronym), which will be held during 2024 and is expected to hold its final sessions in April 2025, is called to be a deep, critical and proactive exercise of reflection and debate.

The call to the conclave emphasizes that each stage of this schedule aims to legitimize the participation of the affiliates in the construction of consensus and strengthen trade union leadership in the mission of representing the rights and guarantees of workers.

Contributing to a greater effectiveness in the mobilization to efficiently promote the development programs, strengthening the contribution of ANIR and ensuring the defense of the Homeland, are other objectives on which the process will be focused.

"At the same time, these days should contribute to consolidate the unity of the labor and trade union movement from a democratic action and practice, from the spaces that we have won by right, such as the assembly of members and workers, the board of directors and the Collective Bargaining", highlights the statement, which is transmitted in its entirety below:

CALL FOR THE 22ND CONGRESS OF THE CTC:

The Cuban Workers' Federation, forged in the most genuine traditions of struggle and firmly committed to the ideas of our National Hero Jose Marti, the teachings of the Captain of the Working Class Lazaro Peña Gonzalez and the thinking of our historic leader Commander in Chief Fidel Castro Ruz, today faces the great goals and challenges involved in the improvement of our Social Economic Model of Socialist Development.

Substantial transformations are taking place in the labor and trade union scenario of the country, as a result of the decentralization of powers to the Socialist State Enterprise to provide it with greater autonomy, the recomposition of employment in the face of the growth and diversification of the private sector, together with the dynamics of changes applied in the regulatory legal framework preserving the essential bases of equity and social justice.

The results of that transforming effort have been notably affected by the tightened economic, commercial and financial blockade imposed by the government of the United States, which, among other damages, has caused a considerable loss of the country's foreign currency income. Without failing to recognize our inefficiencies and mistakes, this is undoubtedly the essential cause of the current macroeconomic imbalances, of the non-existence of wholesale markets for the resupply of raw materials and inputs; and of the partial dollarization of the economy.

In addition, the contraction of productive activity has caused shortages in the supply of goods and services, which have generated excessive prices and caused a significant deterioration in the purchasing power of salaries and pensions, with the consequent labor fluctuation of highly qualified professional workers.

In this complex context, in which the Government's projection to correct Distortions and Re-launch the Economy has been approved, the Cuban Workers' Federation calls for the celebration of its 22nd Congress, whose organic process will take place during 2024 and is expected to hold its final sessions in April 2025.

At each stage of its schedule we have proposed an exercise of reflection and deep, critical and proactive debate, which legitimizes the participation of members in consensus building, strengthens trade union leadership in the mission of representing the rights and guarantees of workers, contributing to greater effectiveness in their mobilization to efficiently promote our development programs, enhance the contribution of ANIR and ensure first and foremost the defense of the Homeland.

At the same time, these days should contribute to strengthen the unity of the labor and trade union movement from a democratic action and practice, starting from the spaces we have won by right, such as the assembly of affiliates and workers, the board of directors and the Collective Bargaining.

It will also be an opportunity to strengthen the selection of cadres and their reserves, a matter that cannot be postponed given its strategic nature; to systematize the political-ideological, economic, legal and labor training; to recover the socialist emulation, as well as to banish the formalisms in the confrontation with the media campaigns of ideological subversion and cultural colonization.

Workers:

At the closing of the 8th Party Congress, its first secretary comrade Miguel Diaz-Canel Bermudez pointed out:

"We do not march on a proven route. We are challenged to constantly innovate, changing everything that must be changed, without renouncing our strongest principles. Without ever deviating from the Revolution concept bequeathed to us by the undefeated leader of this feat, but free from rigid ties and aware of the possible misunderstandings involved in making the road as we go along".

In the passage through that hard purpose, our working class, in the exercise of a real power conquered with the effort and sacrifice of many generations, must march at the forefront of the people in the unavoidable endeavor to ensure that Cuba will always be sovereign, independent, socialist and increasingly democratic, prosperous and sustainable. Sure of victory, for Cuba together we create!

National Secretariat of the CTC