Cuban Trade Union leader recieves standing ovation at TUC
Campaign News | Thursday, 16 September 2004
More than 150 delegates attend fringe meeting
The leader of Cuba's trades unions, Pedro Ross Leal, received a standing ovation after he addressed the TUC on Wednesday, Septemeber 15.
It was the fist time a President of the Cuban CTC trades union federation has been invited to address the TUC since the revolution of 1959.
The ovation crowned a week when bonds were strengthened between the two organisations and the TUC made its firmest commitment yet tombuilding links with Cuba and resisting the US blockade.
On Monday September 13th Pedro spoke at the best attended Cuba Solidarity fringe meeting ever held at the annual union gathering.
More than 150 delegates attended the meeting held at the skylines restaurant on the top floor of the Brighton centre overlooking the English Channel at this south coast resort.
Brendan Barber, the General Secretary of Britain's powerful Trades Union Congress attended to warmly welcome Pedro and reiterated the TUC's firm opposition to the 45 US blockade of Cuba passed at last year's Congress.
Also on the platform were Derek Simpson, the General Secretary of the huge AMICUS engineering and science union that recently affiliated to the Cuba Solidarity Campaign, Brian Wislon MP, the former Labour Energy Minister and Barry Camfield the assistant General Secretary of the Transport and General Workers Union - all of whom were unequivocal in their condemnation of US policy towards the island.
Present at the reception held afterwards were also the heads of numerous unions and senior figure sin the labour movement.
It is the first time the Cuban Trades Un ion president has been at the TUC and he will address the whole Congress on Wednesday, September 15.
See also:
CSC Labour Party Conference Fringe Meeting:
http://www.cuba-solidarity.org.uk/events.asp?EventID=31
Unions for Cuba Conference:
http://www.cuba-solidarity.org.uk/events.asp?EventID=32
