Defending their Gains – Cuban, Venezuelan, US Workers Against the 1%

Thursday May 19th, 6:30-8:30 pm

Debs Hall, Workers United, 333 S. Ashland

Felipe Perez Cruz, Member of National Union Cuban Historians (UNHIC) and Cuba Writers and Artist Union (UNEAC)

Jesus Rodriguez Espinosa, Consul General, Consulate of Venezuela in Chicago

Richard Monje, Manager and International Vice President, Chicago and Midwest Regional Joint Board, Workers United, SEIU

Cuban working people still must struggle to survive and build their country under the US blockade. Venezuelans must counter the economic and media war directed at them. US workers face a continuing struggle against the cuts to their standard of living and services by the 1%. This panel discussion presents us with lessons from their experiences.

Sponsored by Chicago and Midwest Regional Joint Board Workers United, Service Employees International Union (SEIU), Chicago ALBA Solidarity Committee, Consulate of Venezuela in Chicago

Summary of the event:

   About 40-50 people attended this event, about half from unions, and the other half from supporters of Cuba and/or Venezuela.

   The presentations of Felipe Perez and Jesus Rodriquez took up most of the event. There were a series of questions and answers by the speakers. Richard Monje, who has traveled to Venezuela, and will be traveling to Cuba this summer, gave the final presentation, where he summarized the gains made by Cuban and Venezuelan workers, and the example they provide for working people here in the United States. Richard Monje has previously spoken out about how US working people should join the fight to free the Cuban 5.

   The event was significant in that a Vice President of a US trade union not only offered to sponsor an event with representatives of Cuba and Venezuela, but spoke alongside them, and held up the two countries of models of what workers could do to fight our common enemy.