Self reform and international trade union solidarity with Haiti

Haitian trade union centres hold discussions, over four days, on trade union self reform, progress with the decent work agenda and international trade union cooperation, as well as adopting a Declaration on the human rights of people of Haitian descent in the Dominican Republic
From 2 to 5 December, representatives of three Haitian trade union confederations affiliated to the TUCA (CTH, CSH and CTSP) and another six national trade union centres (CNOHA, CFOH, CGT, CATH, UACSH, Unitè d’Actions Constructives des Syndicats Haïtiens and ESPM BO) took part in two workshops, one on trade union self reform in Latin America and the other on the contribution of the international trade union movement to the decent work agenda in Haiti.

Workshop on "Trade Union Reform in the Americas: a Necessity and a Challenge for Decent Work"(1 December)

After presenting the "ITUC-TUCA Guide to Trade Union Self Reform", published by the ITUC-TUCA, with the support of ILO-ACTRAV, the concept of trade union self reform based on the TUCA’s experience was discussed, along with the priorities relevant to the trade union situation in Haiti. The Dominican trade union confederations’ experience of self reform was also presented by the CNUS representative, Antonio Aquino. On closing the event, Victor Báez, general secretary of the TUCA, stated that, "The Haitian trade union movement is the force that can build the social Haiti, the social edifice that has never been built. To achieve this, Haiti’s trade union organisations must determine the development model to be built and work together, in unison, to make it possible."

Workshop "Decent Work, A Long Way to Go: Strengthening Workers’ Power and the Contribution of the International Trade Union Movement" (3-5 December)

The TUCA and ITUC, with support from Great Britain’s TUC and Italy’s trade union development cooperation institute ISI, and within the framework of the ISI and ITUC-TUCA "Tradwafomoga" Project, held a second workshop to assess the results of the action plans implemented by Haitian trade union centres, with backing from international trade union cooperation, and to determine the path to follow next.
The ground covered by the ITUC-TUCA in Haiti and the contributions made by the international trade union movement were examined, based on an appraisal of the socioeconomic, political and trade union situation in Haiti. This assessment then formed the basis of the thematic group work, during which key issues (social protection, informal economy, unionisation, social dialogue and united action) were discussed, with a view to drawing up action plans. The need for technical and policy support from the international trade union movement was highlighted during these activities.
The ITUC-TUCA, together with the other trade union organisations present (FTQ Canada, CNUS Dominican Republic, CGT France, CUT Brazil, CSC Belgium, TUC Great Britain, AFL-CIO Solidarity Center, ISI, PSI and EI) reinforced the idea that Haiti’s trade union centres must determine their own path to greater strength and their own development model, on which they can also build with the support of international trade union cooperation.

Declaration on the court ruling affecting Dominicans of Haitian descent in the Dominican Republic

The organisations attending the workshop unanimously adopted a Declaration condemning the human rights violation resulting from the recent ruling of the Constitutional Court of the Dominican Republic, "which deprives thousands of Dominicans, the sons and daughters of Haitian migrants in the country, of their nationality and their right to equality before the law".
The signatories undertook to "work within their respective organisations and with their respective governments to demand a rapid and peaceful solution that revokes the application of the provisions laid down by the recent ruling of the Constitutional Court of the Dominican Republic regarding the fundamental rights of Dominicans of Haitian descent".

This article is also available with photos on the website of the TUCA (in Spanish)