Havana, October 23rd (RHC)--The Cuban Trade Union Confederation and
the Cuban Labor and Social Security Ministry have recognized the Cuban
central government for its efforts in finding solutions to the issue of
employment in the sugar industry following the phasing out of numerous
sugar factories island-wide.

In expressing his appreciation, Pedro Ross Leal, general secretary of
the Cuban Trade Union Confederation, noted that as is usually the case
under capitalism, the closing of a factory means workers are massively
laid off. The difference in socialist Cuba, he said, is that despite
the US economic blockade and the island's decade-old economic crisis,
workers have not been left on their own and new jobs and training
opportunities are being provided for them. More than 84,000 Cuban sugar
industry workers have registered in classes and re-training schemes
while continuing to receive their full salaries.

The Cuban Trade Union Confederation and the Labor and Social
Security Ministry also agreed to recommend to the government that non-
sugar workers living in the vicinity of sugar factories be eligible as
well for on-the-job training.

According to statistics by the Cuban Trade Union Confederation, in
September there were 4,111 workers whose jobs had been cut off, 60% of
whom were from eastern Santiago de Cuba province, while some 8,700
other workers had been declared redundant. The Cuban Trade Union
Confederation said direct, personalized attention was being provided
for each one of these workers.

The Confederation insisted, however, on the need for workers to be
better advised regarding employment opportunities available in urban
agriculture in the eastern part of Cuba.

Cuban Labor and Social Security Minister Alfredo Morales Cartaya,
suggested that the trade union and the social security organizations
hold a joint meeting in February of next year to discuss issues

Radio Habana Cuba - Oct. 23, 2002