London Metropolitan University Research Institutes
 

The International Journal of Cuban Studies

(Online) ISSN 1756-347X

Women's labour links

During a four-week visit to the UK in March 2009, Carolina Amador and Gilda Chacón talked to Patricia Daniel about the importance of international support between women in response to global economic problems.

Q. Firstly could you tell us a little about yourselves and how you came to be here?

Carolina: I've been International Relations Officer of the Cuban Women's Federation (FMC) for about eight years. Previously I worked for the Cuban Ministry of Transport as an engineer. I was an ordinary member of the FMC for 14 years and always interested in inter-organisational links so I was quick to apply when the Federation advertised for women to work in this particular area.

Gilda: I've been a trade unionist for well over 20 years. That dates from when I was a teacher in the countryside, particularly looking at links between education and work. From there I went on to become a committee member of the National Union of Education. Now I'm working in the International Department of the Cuban Workers' Congress (CTC), which was founded in 1939 and is still independent of the state. My current post involves labour links, especially with Africa, Australia and the Far East.

Q. This is the first delegation direct from the FMC for five years. However, Cuban women workers have regularly been visiting the UK as trade unionists, though not to talk specifically about women's concerns. Isn't it true that nearly all women (workers) are members of the FMC anyway?

A. Yes, we have more than 4 million members, which counts for around 88% of the post 14-year old female population...

Q. And that's a very high percentage compared to other countries.

A. Yes, the FMC is a non-governmental grassroots organisation and very inclusive - we don't recognise divisions of colour, creed, sexuality or political affiliation. There are basically two aims of the organisation: to defend the revolution and to ensure that women have equal opportunities with men.

Q. What's the purpose of the present visit and what do you hope to achieve?

A. Both our organisations place high importance on international work, for exchange of experiences, developing relations with other countries and disseminating information about the Cuban reality as regards union work and progress for women. There's not enough of this kind of information happening in the world. We received the invitation from the UK Cuban Solidarity Campaign to celebrate International Women's Day here as well as the 50th anniversary of the Cuban Revolution; to talk to trade unions, women's organisations and other groups; also to discuss the situation of the Miami Five and other aspects of US-Cuba relations such as the blockade and travel restrictions on family members.

We do want to invite and encourage people to visit Cuba, to see what's happening there - in particular the main challenge at the moment: how women and workers are affected by the global economic crisis and what measures we are taking to overcome those effects. This is a new phase for us.

Q. But you've had a lot of experience in meeting that kind of problem during the 1990s, so we in the West perhaps have a lot to learn from Cuba in how to cope.

A. Yes, but it's also important for us to learn about women's concerns in the UK, what are the specific challenges you face here, the social impact of the crisis, so that we can provide proper feedback to our members back home.

Q. Looking in general at the issue of women's labour rights, what comparison can you make between the situation in Cuba and that in the UK?


A. Firstly we could point to a fundamental difference as regards the political system in each country. In Cuba we have a focus on human development and equal rights as a working principle. In the UK there is the same principle in writing - for example, equal pay for equal work - but from what we have heard in discussions here, this is not the case: women are still receiving lower salaries (1). It seems that women in British trade unions are still struggling for rights we have had for a long time. In Cuba, men and women earn the same. The doors are open, 46% of workers are women, we're active in the unions, we occupy public spaces where rights are negotiated; and we have high aspirations, we're working hard to improve our competence and level of education.


We don't have quotas in Cuba. The policy has always been that women should succeed because of their ability. And we have high levels of women's participation: 40% of parliamentarians are women and so are 54% of union leaders. That means women have the support of both male and female co-workers, we're recognised for our willingness and capacity to take on responsibility and we're involved in the collective bargaining process in the workplace, which government has to respect (2).


In particular there's the issue of child-care, which is much less of a problem in Cuba because the hours of (state-financed) day nurseries (circulos infantiles) and schools fit in much better with the working hours of the rest of the labour force. Parents don't have to worry that their children are unattended or unprotected. Here in the UK - and elsewhere in the developed world - the lack of reliable child-care is the reason why many women continue to work part-time.


There's still high demand for day-care provision in Cuba - as well as the issue of the quality of early childhood education provided. The FMC is working with the Ministry of Education to assess this. But generally, it's part of the curriculum for children in nurseries to take part in role-plays and other games, which are intended to overturn traditional roles.


However, we have to admit that, in the domestic sphere, there is still much to be done - also in Cuba! - to tackle the attitudes of both men and women towards gender roles and household tasks. This shouldn't be a discussion about "men helping with the chores" but rather "men sharing responsibilities". Women still carry the main responsibility for housework, childcare and also care of both elderly parents and parents-in-law. The government carried out a Time Use Survey in 2004-5, which showed that women were working three to four hours more than men on a daily basis. So there's still the triple burden for women (economic activity, social reproduction and voluntary work in the community: women also spend a lot of time studying). Unfortunately, even in 45 years it's not possible to completely transform attitudes but we are seeing changes. Some men are now taking advantage of the Working Women's Maternity Act (2003) to stay at home to care for new babies, while their wife continues working - and fathers are also attending school meetings, for example, whereas previously it was only mothers who did that. (3)


Family housing is a big problem in Cuba - because of the blockade and the loss of support from the Eastern bloc, it was difficult to get construction materials in the 1990s. More recently we've had the three hurricanes and so effort and materials have gone into reconstruction. But the unions have been working together with the government to try and address this, facilitating the chance for individuals to build their own home with help from co-workers and workplace administration. Also workers (male and female) can be seconded onto a housing brigade for two years at the end of which they will get their own house - one way for women (who may be divorced or single heads of household) to become home-owners.


Q. As regards women's capacity to shape the political agenda, could you explain how the FMC contributes to national decision-making and development in Cuba? For example, you've recently held the 8th Women's Congress.


A. This is a bottom-up consultation process whereby grassroots women's assemblies are able put forward their views. The national executive provides a list of general topics for discussion but the local groups can add their own ideas. Grassroots discussions are then summarised for the national congress.


This year an important thread has been women's proposals on how to address the blockade and women's commitment in general to addressing national problems in their own way. One new aspect of political work at the grassroots has been how to deal with the impact of the world economic crisis. Women have been particularly concerned about the (costly) importation of food and the desirability of a higher female representation in local agriculture; our potential contribution to national production; the importance of women's voluntary work at community level; engaging housewives in projects… Also we've highlighted the need for women to take on more responsible roles in the workplace; for better networking between women workers; and for greater focus to be placed on enabling young women to take up leadership roles.


Raúl Castro attended the FMC Congress on 8 March and encouraged women to work (even) harder in order to become representatives at the highest (provincial and national) levels of decision-making.


Q. In connection with that, recently FMC's researcher Mayda Alvarez Suárez published an article on the implementation of the 1995 Beijing Platform of Action for Women, in which she suggests that at the moment Cuban policy-makers don't really have an understanding of how to mainstream gender equality into national planning (4).


A. Since Beijing there's a national mechanism for the advancement of women and a governmental commitment to integrate a gender perspective into policy and practice through a national action plan. The FMC (which is a self-financing NGO) takes part in evaluating the success of the plan. All organisations in Cuba work closely with each other in this. We have seen that there is a lack of capacity among government departments in developing and implementing policy… We certainly need to run more seminars to address this problem. (5) However, political will exists to promote social justice and equality: that can be demonstrated by the fact that Cuba has already achieved some of the MDGs - unlike other countries in the Americas (6).


Q. How does the FMC operate at a provincial level? Are there distinct problems for women in different parts of Cuba?


A. Yes, of course, some regions are less developed and, especially outside the capital, working women are affected by poor public transport. In each locality we carry out a diagnostic (that is, the local group carries out a diagnostic) to characterise the female population, including statistics by age, profession and civil status of women; environmental factors; what infrastructure exists (roads, schools and so on); particular problems such as violence and prostitution. This provides a basis for local work.


Q. So what about the problem of violence against women? How do you tackle that?

A. Firstly we work in prevention: there's a national commission for the prevention of - and attention to - violence against women. There are a number of factors which help (in comparison with other countries): Cuban women tend to have higher self-esteem; we occupy public spaces; we earn a salary… so we have less of a problem with physical violence. And actually it's a taboo in our society for a man to strike a woman. However, our research has shown that psychological violence is the most recurrent. We need to teach families and individuals how to recognise (and admit) this as a real problem. We run seminars in each municipality through the centre for women and the family (la casa de la mujer y la familia). There is also the volunteer health worker (brigadista) as well as the local GP who visits and knows each family on the block. If we train up the brigadistas, they can multiply this understanding. Of course, we're lacking financial resources but UNICEF has funded training materials for us.

Q. How about the issue of prostitution, which is often raised by outsiders especially in relation to tourism in Cuba?

A. Well, we should point out that women in Cuba don't need to sell themselves, it's a choice, many of the girls do it on the side as they already have a full-time day job. Also there's a low rate of prostitution in Cuba compared to many other countries. Again we focus on prevention as with the issue of violence, various institutions working together at national level (health, education, the police) and at local level paying attention to young women and students. We also work with prostitutes (who usually don't want their family or neighbourhood to know what they do); we offer them training courses and alternative employment - so working with the unions in this respect is very important. Also health information, about the risk of HIV/AIDS (7).

The FMC have suggested modifications to the penal code, especially as regards the role of the pimp and other intermediaries who facilitate prostitution (hotel porters, taxis drivers and people renting out rooms) so that penalties are directed more towards those actors; also a change in the language used so that it reflects the fact that some prostitutes are men. We work with the police on identifying pimps. Our aim is total elimination.

Q. In the current climate of change in Cuba and the US, how do you see international links helping to address shared areas of concern for women?

A. First of all, there are no political changes in Cuba! We're still working on the same project: it's a time for consolidation and improving what we have. As far as the US is concerned, Cuba is not a priority: the blockade is still in place and so is the Guantánamo base. We don't have the luxury to relax: we are still protecting Cuba's independence and sovereignty. So solidarity continues to be important: sharing experiences, disseminating information.

As for women, exchange is one way forward, for example the issue of prostitution, developing strategies for prevention of violence, multiplying successful initiatives across different countries.

It's also important that a different political system exists (and survives) in Cuba: international links help us to continue this focus on human not financial resources. We hope that this kind of mutual support, especially through trade unions and women's groups, might help to put the brake on the runaway train of the US-dominated global economy.



Carolina Amador Pérez is International Relations Officer of the Cuban Women's Federation (FMC) www.mujeres.cu with a focus on links with Europe.


Gilda Chacón Bravo works in the International Department of the Cuban Workers' Congress (CTC). Hear her speaking on BBC Radio Women's Hour at http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/womanshour/04/2009_13_thu.shtml


Patricia Daniel is Assistant Editor of the IJCS and is currently working on a UNV research project relating to gender and volunteerism http://www.efc.co.uk/news/article.jsp?id=50


Acknowledgements
This report is based on an interview with the two-woman delegation during their tour of the UK in March 2009, supplemented with points they made at a subsequent public meeting in Sheffield. Thanks are due to the Cuba Solidarity Campaign www.cuba-solidarity.org.uk for facilitating contact.

Notes


(1) See 'Delaying the extension of flexible working rights and maternity pay will undermine Government commitments to close the gender pay gap and end child poverty, the TUC warns as it opens the annual TUC Women's conference in Scarborough', 11 March 2009, accessible at
(2) The results of a national survey published in July 2008 in Trabajadores (the official journal of the CTC) indicated that 60% of Cuba's labour leaders lacked understanding and training in the process of collective bargaining (http://www.cubastudygroup.org/index.cfm?FuseAction=PressReleases.Detail&PressRelease_id=3811&Month=7&Year=2008 )


(3) Male and female attitudes with regard to gender roles are discussed in With our memory on the future (2006) a film directed by Delso Aquino Baños, Octavio Cortazar and Regino Miguel Oliver Blanco, produced by the Union of Writers and Artists of Cuba (UNEAC) for the 45th anniversary of the Federation of Cuban Women, Spanish with English subtitles, 63 mins, available at www.pathfinderpress.com

(4) Mayda Alvarez Suárez (2009) 'La revolución de las cubanas: 50 años de conquistas y luchas', Temas, January 2009 http://www.temas.cult.cu


(5) The concluding comments of the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) for Cuba (August 2006) can be accessed at http://daccessdds.un.org/doc/UNDOC/GEN/N06/478/52/PDF/N0647852.pdf?OpenElement
See the latest CEDAW report women in the UK (July 2008) for comparison at http://www2.ohchr.org/english/bodies/cedaw/docs/CEDAW.C.GBR.CO.6.pdf


(6) According to the United Nations MDG Monitor, Cuba has already achieved the goals of universal primary education; gender equality and empowerment of women; reduction of child mortality; and is likely to achieve the others by 2015, see http://www.mdgmonitor.org/factsheets_00.cfm?c=CUB


(7) The Joint Oxfam/MEDICC Report on HIV & AIDS in Cuba "Cuba's HIV/AIDS Strategy: An Integrated, Rights-Based Approach," written and researched by MEDICC Review's Senior Editor Conner Gorry, is now available online in English and Spanish.
Copyright
Copyright for this work is held jointly between the participants and the International Journal of Cuban Studies under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-No Derivative 3.0 Licence http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/
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