After the success in raising solidarity for Venezuela’s Bolivarian
Revolution at the British trade union conferences, the next step of the
Hands Off Venezuela campaign will be the intervention at the Trades
Union Congress in Brighton. NATFHE will move a resolution in support of
Venezuela and the progressive policies of the government of president
Hugo Chávez, committing the TUC to work with solidarity campaigns and
to build links with Venezuelan trade unionists. NATFHE President John
Wilkin, who has just returned from a trip to Venezuela in which he has
established important links with the trade union and Bolivarian
movement will be moving the motion. Find below the full text of the
resolution and the amendments moved by other unions.
At
the same time, a leading member of Venezuela’s largest union, the
National Workers Union, UNT, will be present at the TUC, having been
invited by the National Union of Journalists and by Hands Off
Venezuela. Orlando Chirino, who is a National Coordinator of the UNT,
will be speaking at a fringe meeting, giving a unique chance to TUC
delegates and other British trade unionists to hear first hand about
the experiences and challenges facing the Venezuelan revolution and
labour movement. Orlando Chirino is currently a member of the oil
workers’ union SINUTRAPETROL, but has more than 30 years experience in
the trade union movement, particularly in the struggles of the textile
workers in Valencia and Maracay. He will be speaking at a fringe
meeting at the TUC on Wednesday and at a joint meeting on Colombia and
Venezuela in London on Thursday, 15th.
Date: Wednesday, 14th September, 5.30pm (straight
after end of conference).
Venue: The Quality Hotel (2 mins from conference
centre), Brighton
Chair: Jeremy Dear (General Sec NUJ)
Speakers: Orlando Chirino, National Coordinator of the UNT, John Wilkin (President NATFHE, just returned from Venezuela), John McDonnell
MP, Bob Crow (General Secretary RMT) , Ruth Winters (President FBU)
79 Venezuela
Congress
congratulates and supports the Venezuelan Government for its
utilisation of the country’s wealth and resources for reforms to
benefit working people, the poor and the landless.
Congress
notes the results of the referendum last August in Venezuela that gave
President Hugo Chávez an overwhelming victory and a strengthened
democratic mandate.
Congress further notes that these results
confirm that there is overwhelming support among working people and the
poor for the social programme of the Chávez Government in relation to
education, literacy, job training, healthcare, land reform and
subsidised food.
However, Congress views with alarm the
bellicose statements being made by the US Administration and its allies
in Colombia and the oligarchy in Venezuela which pose a real threat to
these reforms.
Congress deplores the attempts of the United
States Administration to intervene in the internal life of Venezuela
and agrees to raise these concerns with the British Government.
Congress
agrees to support wider trade union initiatives to highlight the issue
of Venezuela within the British labour movement, including the
organisation of a trade union delegation to meet and build links with
Venezuelan trade unionists.
Furthermore, Congress will build
and work with trade union endorsed organisations in the UK working to
provide solidarity to Venezuela.
NATFHE – The University and College Lecturers’ Union
Amendment
Add
at end of paragraph 5: ‘Congress expresses its solidarity with trade
unionists in Venezuela and rejects any outside interference in their
affairs.’
Association of University Teachers
Amendment
Add new paragraph at end:
‘Congress
is concerned about the lack of media coverage of events in Venezuela
and urges the General Council to establish relations with the
Venezuelan National Union of Workers (UNT) to ensure that news of trade
union issues, at least, is more widely reported.’
Transport Salaried Staffs’ Association
Amendment
Add new paragraphs at end:
‘Congress
notes the independent poll in July that showed over 70% support for
Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez. It also notes the Venezuelan threat
to suspend oil exports to the US if attacks on its government continue.
Congress resolves to support the Venezuelan people’s efforts to preserve their democratically elected government.’
Associated Society of Locomotive Engineers and Firemen
