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CTH to attend the Fifth Cuba/Venezuela/North America/Latin America Labor Conference

2008-11-14T03:59:00Z

It's only seven weeks until the Fifth Cuba/Venezuela/North America/Latin America Labor Conference - register and pay now online! Want to Register and pay online with charge card? Here's how at http://laborexchange.blogspot.com/ 1) Click on DONATE button (upper right at laborexchange.blogspot.com), follow instructions 2) Conference Registration is $55 (an additional $25 donation is requested for the special Free the Five dinner) 3) Enter the dollar amount - $55 or $80 (or more, if you can afford an additional donation to help with costs.) You and the labor exchange will both receive an email receipt that will be used at the conference to confirm your payment. 4) Send the info on the form below to laborexchange@action-mail.org THEN - Make your hotel registration at Hotel Palacio Azteca, request the Cuba Labor Conference rate that includes breakfast and Saturday dinner (Send your hotel confirmation number to laborexchange@action-mail.org and receive a FREE DVD compliments of Leftbooks.com - Choose One: Mission Against Terror; One Man's Story: Philip Agee, Cuba, and the CIA, or Posada Carriles: Terrorism made in USA.) (If you have any problems with reserving a hotel room, please let us know - call: 313 587 9285.) Conference Registration/ Datos para su inscripción a la Conferencia: Name/Nombre:___________________________________________________________________________________________ Address/Direccion:______________________________City,State, Zip/Ciudad, Estado, Zona postal:______________________ Phone/Telefono:_____________Fax:______________ Email/Correo Electronico:_____________________________________ Union/Organization/Sindicato:______________________________________________________________________________ [ ] Enclosed is my registration fee of $ 55 U.S. dollars ([ ] additional donation $25 requested - special Free the Five dinner, Friday) [ ] I would like to give a donation of $ ________ for a low-income participant. [ ] Envio mi registro y mi donacion de 55 dolares US y quisiera aportar la cantidad de $_______para aquellos participantes de bajo ingreso. ([ ] donación adicional - 25 dolares – una cena especial – viernes – por Los Cincos) Make checks payable to: Labor Exchange Haga los chekes pagables a: Labor Exchange US/Cuba Labor Exchange ● P.O. BOX 39188 ● Redford MI 48239 ● Phone/Fax: (313) 587 9285 ● Email: laborexchange@aol.com Reservations can be made at: Reservaciones de Hotel: Hotel Palacio Azteca Blvd Cuauhtemoc Sur #213 Colonia Davila 22400 Tijuana, Mexico *Toll Free from USA 1 888 901 3720 Toll Free From Mexico 01 8000266660 Single/Sencilla Room $98 U.S. Dollars • Double/Doble Room $141 U.S. Dollars (This will included two breakfasts and one dinner) (Este precio incluye dos desayunos y una cena) Please mention the/Favor de mencionar para un descueanto al: Cuba Labor Conference to get the discounted price. Reservations should be made as soon as possible/Realice su reservación lo antes possible. *If you have a problem please call 313 587 9285 or laborexchange@aol.com

CAMPAIGN FOR LABOR RIGHTS

2008-09-23T15:53:00Z

Remeber Lovinsky

2008-07-31T01:21:00Z

Progress Report of the Haiti Union Solidarity Fund

2008-07-29T20:51:00Z

Sent to us by Roger Annis.

July 14, 2008 By postal mail and e-mail Dear reader, The following is the first progress report of the Haiti Union Solidarity Fund. The Fund was launched in February, 2008. You can find the launch statement, along with this present report, at the Canada Haiti Action Network (CHAN) website, http://www.canadahaitiaction.ca. We are pleased to report that the cause of Haitian workers and trade unions is gaining a growing hearing and support across Canada. Among the progress that we can report are: * Since its launch in February, 2008, the Haiti Union Solidarity Fund has received more than $10,000 in contributions. You will find a complete list of these in the appendix to this report. We thank all those individuals and organizations who have contributed. You will receive a copy of this report and appendix by post mail. * The Secretary-General of the Confederation of Haitian Workers, Paul Chery, was one of the invited international guests to the May, 2008 convention of the Canadian Labour Congress in Toronto. Interest and awareness of the cause of Haitian workers has taken an important step forward in Canada as a result. * In January, a delegation From the Quebec Federation of Labour (FTQ) visited Haiti. The delegation met with a number of Haitian unions and learned first hand of the economic calamity that unions and the entire country are facing. New solidarity projects have begun as a result. Monthly pledge to Confederation of Haitian Workers The first disbursement undertaken by the Fund has been a monthly pledge of $300 to the national office of the Confederation of Haitian Workers (CTH). This began in January and has been paid until July, inclusive. This ongoing financial commitment has allowed the union to hire an assistant to the Secretary-General of the union, Paul Chery. He writes, “Our newly-hired administrator allows us to communicate with our affiliates and with our international friends through reports and correspondence. It was difficult for myself to look after all of this because of the amount of travel that I am obliged to do and because the demands on my time and our limited resources. “We thank you for this important gesture of solidarity.” The Fund’s directors have decided to increase this monthly pledge by $100 to $400 per month, starting in August, 2008. We have also undertaken the following two projects. New projects 1. Aiding the establishment of a computer centre at the CTH’s education conference centre, INAFOS, in Port au Prince. This will provide essential education and organizing tools and it will also generate revenue because the CTH is configuring the computer center to serve as an internet café for the surrounding community. The Fund will contribute $3700 for the purchase of solar panels required to power the computers. A pledge of $1000 from the CHAN affiliate in Winnipeg has kick-started this project. We welcome further financial contributions, and we are seeking donations of desktop or laptop computers. The CTH recently received four laptop computers from a delegation of members of the Industrial Workers of the World from Canada and the U.S. that visited Haiti in April. You can read the reports of that visit at www.iwwinhaiti.blogspot.com. 2. Supporting the work of the Association des professionelles de la santé d’Haiti (Association of Health Professionals of Haiti) with a $150 per month pledge. This is an association of Haitian nurses who, in cooperation with Haiti’s largest transportation union, the APCH, delivers vital health care services to the rural population surrounding Haiti’s capital city, Port au Prince. The Association receives some assistance from international health agencies, but needs much more. The Fund is receiving a pledge of $100 per month for this project from a small computer business in Vancouver, Performance by Design. We are adding $50 per month to this amount. Mail list for Haiti union solidarity The Haiti Union Solidarity Fund is establishing a mail list group for interested union activists and contributors. Please e-mail to one of the addresses below if you wish to join this mail list. Volume will be kept low, and only members of the list will be permitted to make postings. Many thanks to all who have contributed to the Fund – your financial support is having a positive impact on the ground in Haiti. For those who have not yet contributed, please consider doing so at whatever level you are able. Please note that the Haiti Union Solidarity Fund pays no administration fees; 100% of the funds it raises go to trade union solidarity projects in Haiti. In solidarity, Roger Annis, Kevin Skerrett Directors of the Haiti Union Solidarity Fund E-mail: rogerannis@hotmail.com, or kskerrett@cupe.ca Phone 778 858 5179 (Vancouver) Mail to: Haiti Union Solidarity Fund 50 Laurel St. Ottawa ON K1Y 3C9

ISC solidarity in Haiti

2008-07-08T00:53:00Z

Justice for laid-off garment workers in Haiti Joseph Lapp II, one of the ISC delegates who represented the IWW in Haiti in late April and early May, recently sent a letter to underwear manufacturer Hanes Brands, Inc. and Global Supply protesting the actions of Hanes subcontractor CD Apparel. In the letter, Joseph describes how during his trip to Haiti he became aware of the ongoing struggle of 500 factory workers who lost their jobs as a direct result of Hanes' decision to withdraw its contract from CD Apparel and move production to a different factory. The letter points out that although these workers were in time paid their legally required severance (a very tiny amount), they have not received the same level of compensation as workers employed under contract by Hanes in other parts of the world have been, in similar situations. The letter urged Hanes to fairly compensate the workers, expressing hope that the company will live up to its responsibilities but warning that if it does not the IWW will take further action as appropriate. Solidarity with fired Haitian workers The ISC wrote a letter expressing outrage over the recent arrest of two female workers at the Ministry of Social Affairs in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. These workers, along with others, were seeking redress over severance pay they have been owed since December of 2007 due to the closing of their place of employment. Since the owner of the factory where they worked, Jean Paul Faubert, has for six months refused to pay them their back wages, the workers were seeking help from the Ministry of Social Affairs. In response to this appeal these two individuals were arrested. In the letter, the ISC pointed out that it is the duty of the Ministry of Social Affairs to assist workers who are mistreated by their employers and that this recent action only gives credit the often expressed suspicion that the Ministry exists only to serve the interests of factory owners and business people, and not the workers. The IWW urged the Ministry to demand that Jean Paul Faubert pay the fired Sohacosa workers the severance pay that he owes them, as required under Haitian law.

The Labor Battle in Haiti

2008-06-22T01:47:00Z

The NarcoSphere has published a completely updated/rewritten version of Jeb Sprague's research on labor intervention in Haiti. Read the article here. CTH, privatization, and the post-2004 coup repression are cited often in the piece.

9 Months: Where is Lovinsky?

2008-05-13T08:05:00Z

It is has been 9 months and still Lovinsky is missing. Where is he? The CTH calls on all our friends and family to call for the release of Lovinsky Pierre Antoine, one of Haiti's most valued human rights leaders. He was a long time advocate of Haitian workers and trade union rights. Sign this petition.

Confederation of Haitian Workers and International Workers of the World In Solidarity

2008-05-12T01:54:00Z

The International Workers of the World (IWW), also known as the Wobblies), have upon invitation sent a delegation to Haiti. CTH and IWW are in full solidarity to battle neo-liberalism and privatization. Read the delegation's blog in english here.

Nazaire St Fort on Haitian Rural Economy

2008-03-05T01:13:00Z

Our good friend and young Haitian journalist Nazaire St Fort has up an excellent piece on Haiti's rural economy and the activism of agronomy students. Read the entire piece on the INTER PRESS SERVICE. Nazaire has interviewed and photographed CTH trade unionists in the past. In the new piece he mentions one of our federations, Fédération nationale des paysans agricoles (FENATAPAO).

CTH: Ogmante salè minimòm nan an Ayiti

2008-02-29T02:56:00Z

26 Fevriye 2008 Nan sa ki gen pou wè ak salè minimòm nan; wi nou dakò pou gen yon ogmantasyon nan salè minimòm nan. Depi 1984, salè minimòm nan te rete fikse a 15 goud; ki siyifi 3 dola US. Poutan, jody a ki fè 24 an pli ta, salè minimòm nan se 70 goud; men li egal a sèlman 2 dola US. Si ke nou konsidere to de vi an, salè minimòm nan ta dwe fikse a 300 goud pou pli piti. Men lè ke nou pran an konsiderasyon frajilite travay an Ayiti; pou ke pa gen plis travay ki pèdi, sektè sendika ki enkli CTH aksepte pou pwopoze 200 goud kòm salè minimòm; gen diskisyon ki ap fèt ak anplwaye yo onivo de yon komisyon tripati & abitraj ki gen pou pwopoze a gouvènman yon nouvo salè minimòm; aprè sa, nouvo salè minimòm nan ap prezante nan chanm palman pou yon vot final. De jody a rive mwa Mas ki ap vini la, travayè yo ap gen yon nouvo salè minimòm.

CTH: Augmenter le salaire minimum en Haïti

2008-02-26T01:46:00Z

Concernant notre position sur le salaire minimum oui nous sommes pour une augmentation du salaire minimom. Car, depuis en 1984 le salaire étant fixé à 15 gourdes qui représentait 3 dollars americains pourtant aujourd'hui 24 ans après le salaire minimum est 70 gourdes équivalent à 2 dollars américains. C'est à dire, si on considère tous ces éléments et bien d'autres encore le salaire minimum devrait fixer à au moins 300 gourdes.Cependant , tenant compte de la fragilité du travail en Haiti et pour éviter la perte davantage d'emploi, le secteur syndical y compris la CTH accepte de proposer 200 gourdes comme salaire minimum qui fait déja l'objet de discussion avec le secteur patronal au niveau de la commission tripartite et d'arbitrage chargé de proposer au gouvernement un nouveau salaire minimum en vue de le soumettre au parlement pour le vote final.Alors, d'ici le mois de mars prochain les travailleurs auront un nouveau salaire minimum.

Konfederasyon Travayè Ayisyen (CTH)

2008-02-15T03:23:00Z

HAITIANALYIS TRANSLATION: Konfederasyon Travayè Ayisyen (CTH) declare sipò yo pou HOPE II inisyativ nan; yo kwè ke sa ap pèmèt vin gen plis travay pou sendika yo an Ayiti. Paul Loulou Chery, sekretè jeneral CTH sou zafè anplwa pou pwogram sa te di, Ayiti dezespere pou travay ak stabilite. HOPE II akt la ap pèmèt aksè lib san tarif a mache Etazini an pou vètman ki fèt an Ayiti; sa ap pwobableman pouse konpayi yo pou al ouvè faktori an Ayiti; ki siyifi plis travay pou ekonomi peyi Dayiti ki nan yon sitiyasyon dezespere. Chery te patisipe nan yon reyinyon ki te chaje avèk moun nan Pòtoprens kote li te mande pou sipòte HOPE II; lòt moun ki te prezan se Premye Minis, Jacques Edouard Alexis. HOPE II planifye pou vini avèk plis travay nan peyi a ki gen pou wè ak vètman pandan ke y ap sipòte administrasyon Préval/Alexis an; CTH mande pou gen yon pozisyon fèm kont privatizasyon. Diran ete 2007 lan, Préval te anonse ke Teleko, Elektrisite Dayiti avèk APN osijè a privatize. Nan mwa resan, ofisyèl nan CTH yo te di ke yo ogmante efò yo avèk anplwaye nan sektè piblik la pou opoze plan privatizasyon an. CTH byen koni nan katye pòv avèk kanpay yo an Ayiti pou fason yo òganize nan baz. Diran gouvènman enterimè a an 2004-2006, CTH te tonbe anba yon kanpay sistematik vyolans aprè ke yo refize sipòte anlèvman gouvènman eli an 2004. Òganizatè CTH yo di abilite pou ke sendikalis yo òganize vin amelyore sou administrasyon Preval la, men lavi chè a ansanm avèk dezas natirèl te frape manm yo di. Konfederasyon travayè a ap fè lòbi pou ke Ayiti ogmante pwodiksyon nasyonal la na zòn endistriyalize & kanpay yo. Fen ane pase a, pandan ke Chery t ap pale, li te di ke òganizasyon dwa zimen & moun ki solidè a Ayiti ta dwe fè tout sa yo kapab pou siveye & asire ke patron yo respekte travayè Ayisyen yo nan nenpòt nouvo faktori.

Message de la CTH secrétaire général.

2008-02-13T00:13:00Z

Bonjour mon ami, comme tu sais je fais partie de la Commission de la mise en oeuvre de la loi hope ( CMO-HOPE ) representant le sectuer syndical accompagné de deux autres camarades du secteur au sein de cette commission. Effectivement lors d'un déjeuner organisé par la Commission ou l'ambassadeur des USA et le premier ministre Haitien étaient présents en vue de solliciter les supports de différentes instances internationales dans le but de demander au Congrès Américain de voter une nouvelle loi accordant aux Haitiens HOPE 2. Alors moi aussi je me suis prononcé en faveur HOPE 2 qui a mon avis contribuera à réduire le taux du chomage en Haiti en créant plusieurs milliers d'emplois. Donc, c'est vrai la CTH est pour le vote de cette loi HOPE 2 par le Congrès des USA. J'en profite pour te demander d'adresser une lettre de support au Congrès au nom des travailleurs Haitiens particulièrement la CTH pour solliciter ce vote en faveur de HOPE2.

HAITIANALYSIS on CTH: Confederation of Haitian Workers Critically Supports Préval/Alexis HOPE Initiative

2008-02-12T02:21:00Z

HaitiAnalysis-The Confederation of Haitian Workers (CTH) has declared its support for the HOPE II initiative which they believe will bring trade union jobs to Haiti. CTH General Secretary Paul Loulou Chery, who sits on a labor-government panel organizing for the program, says that Haiti is in desperate need of jobs and stability. The HOPE act would provide tariff-free access to the United States market for apparel made in Haiti and would likely energize companies to set up shop in Haiti, meaning more jobs for Haiti's desperate economy. Chery spoke in support of HOPE at a recent packed meeting in Port-au-Prince attended by Prime Minister Jacques Edouard Alexis.

While supporting the Préval/Alexis HOPE plan to bring more garment jobs into the country, the CTH has urged a hardline stance against privatization. Préval announced over the summer of 2007 that Téléco (Telecommunications of Haiti), ED'H (Electricity of Haiti), and the APN (National Port Authority) would be subject to privatization. In recent months CTH officials say that they have increased organizing efforts with public sector workers to oppose the state privatization plans.

CTH is well known across poor neighborhoods and rural areas in Haiti for its grassroots organizing. During the interim government period in Haiti (2004-2006) the CTH came under a sustained campaign of violence after refusing to support the 2004 ouster of Haiti's elected government. The ability of trade unionists to organize has improved under Préval, say CTH organizers, but the rising cost of living and natural disasters has hit its membership hard. The labor confederation is lobbying for Haiti to increase national production both in its industry and rural economy.

Chery, speaking late last year, said that human rights workers and the solidarity community at large should do all they can to help make sure the rights of Haitian workers are respected and actively monitored in any new factories. Haiti continues to be in need of a strengthened labor code and heightened minimum wage.

Nous disons Oui à l'emploi. Nous disons Non à la privatisation.

2008-02-10T21:18:00Z

Les actes CMO-HOPE