- Conference
- Date
- June 16, 2017
- Decision
UNISON welcomes the re-establishment of diplomatic relations between the US and Cuba in 2015. However, we note that the US blockade remains in place and Guantánamo Bay continues to be illegally US-occupied.
UNISON notes that the US Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control imposed 52 fines on US and overseas companies for carrying out financial transactions with Cuba due to blockade legislation, at a total of over $14.4 billion, under the Obama administration alone.
UNISON notes that the risk of extra-territorial OFAC fines negatively impacts UK trade and relations with Cuba, including the closure of the Cuba Solidarity Campaign’s (CSC) Co-operative Bank account in 2015.
Former U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon called the blockade the “most unjust, severe and long-lived system” of sanctions ever applied against a country. It deprives Cuba of medicines, causes shortages and leads to high import costs on food and other essentials.
UNISON notes that despite all the hardships from the US blockade, which has caused over $833 billion in damages, Cuba continues to be an inspiration with its excellent public services and internationalism. The Cuban government spends over half of its annual budget on health, education and social care and there are currently over 65,000 Cuban workers delivering health and education to 89 countries.
UNISON notes that the Trump administration poses new threats to Cuba. President Trump and Vice-President Pence both threatened to reverse the limited progress that took place under Obama during their election campaign and Trump has appointed some key pro-blockade lobbyists into key roles in his new administration.
International solidarity with the Cuban people is crucial in light of this threat and the campaign to end the blockade is now more important than ever.
Conference therefore commits to redouble our efforts to:
- Call on the US government to completely end the blockade of Cuba and cease its occupation of Guantánamo Bay;
- Call on the UK Government to oppose all US extraterritorial threats against UK-based companies, using existing UK antidote legislation to counteract the effects of the US extraterritorial blockade laws;
- Urge all UNISON branches to affiliate to the Cuba Solidarity Campaign and/or the Scottish Cuba Solidarity Campaign and encourage members to join as individuals.
South Lanarkshire UNISON
NEC POLICY: SUPPORT