Asif Mohammed
Asif Mohammed
2019 Cuba delegation
30 young trade unionists from Unite, Unison, GMB, RMT and TSSA, representing over four million workers in Britain and Ireland participated in Cuba Solidarity Campaign’s 14th annual Young Trade Unionists’ May Day brigade to Cuba where they took part in a full programme of solidarity agricultural work, conferences, meetings, visits and exchanges with the Cuban people.
They joined over 300 trade unionists and activists from 30 countries, including delegations form Brazil, South Africa, Vietnam, Ghana, Argentina, Chile and the United States, highlighting the excellent range of international solidarity with the Cuban people.
The 2019 brigade took place in a special anniversary year for the Cuban people: the 60th anniversary of the Cuban Revolution and the 80th anniversary of the CTC (Cuba’s TUC).
The delegation was based between the Julio Antonio Mella International Camp (CIJAM) in Artemisa province and Sancti Spíritus, the capital city of the of Sancti Spíritus province in central Cuba.
On May 2 the brigade participated in the International Solidarity with Cuba Conference at the Conventions Palace in Havana. This unique opportunity, as official guests of the CTC, allowed young members to participate in a conference in a prestigious venue where Cuba’s Parliament (National Assembly) meets and where the CTC’s 80th anniversary Congress had recently took place in the week before our visit.
The conference featured many high level Cuban politicians, trade unionists and representatives from Cuba’s mass organisations and was attended by over 1,000 international solidarity activists and trade unionists from 157 countries. Ellie Drake, UNISON North West Region delegate, was interviewed by Radio Havana about her experience on the brigade.
Special guest speakers and guests at the conference included Ulises Guilarte CTC (Cuba’s TUC equivalent) General Secretary, Ismael Drullet, Director of International Relations at the CTC, Ana Teresita Gonzalez Fraga, Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs, Adnan Chavez, Venezuelan Ambassador to Cuba, Teresa Amarelle Boue, General Secretary of the Federation of Cuban Women (FMC), and Fernando Gonzalez Llort, President of the Cuban Institute of Friendship with Peoples (ICAP).
Niurka Gonzalez Orbera, SNTECD (Cuban Teacher’s Union) and Arturo Rodriguez (Cuban Industrial Workers Union) were amongst the Cuban general secretaries attending the conference.
British delegates included Jessica Sangha, Unite North East, Yorkshire and Humberside delegate and Asif Mohammed, Unite West Midlands delegate, Frankie Leach, Unite London and Eastern, Logan Williams from Unite Wales, Ellie Drake, UNISON North West Region, Becky Boumelha, Unite South East Region, Millie Davidson, UNISON Scotland, James Walford, TSSA, Tasmina Khan, Unite West Midlands Region, Tom Cochrane, Unite South West Region, Gemma Dinsdale, GMB, Ryan McLaughlin, UNISON Scotland, Ryan Kent, RMT, Renato Marques, Unite South East Region, Graham Harrington, Unite Ireland, Logan Williams, Unite Wales, Patrick Benham, GMB Birmingham and West Midlands Region, Rebekah McNally, UNISON North West Region, Damian Bailey, Unite Young Members Chair / Unite North West Region, delegate, Graham Hull, Unite North East, Yorkshire and Humberside Region, Jonathan Elson, Unite North East, Yorkshire and Humberside Region, Harriet Miller, TSSA, Damian Bailey and Tony Woodhouse, Unite, Dean Ismay GMB.[1]