On Friday, the final sessions of the 22nd Congress of the Central Organization of Cuban Workers (CTC) will continue until June 27, 2026, in Havana, with the provinces connected via videoconference.

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Under the slogan “For Cuba, Together We Create,” the event addresses the defense of the homeland and the strengthening of the union movement in the implementation of the 176 transformations approved for economic and social updating.

During the presentation of the Central Report, Osnay Miguel Colina, president of the Organizing Committee, reviewed the fulfillment of the agreements of the 21st Congress and defined the organization’s priorities. The document offered a critical look at the work carried out over the last six years, focusing on addressing shortcomings to strengthen union operations.

The Central Report denounced the intensification of the economic, commercial, and financial blockade imposed by the United States, including two executive orders, as well as threats of military aggression and the energy embargo. These factors, along with the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, extreme weather events, and the Economic Reorganization Plan, have shaped the nation’s economic performance.

The text reads, ““We will not kneel before anyone, and if we ever do, it will only be before our 20,000 dead, to tell them: The Revolution has been made!” With this idea from Camilo Cienfuegos, the Commander in Chief, Fidel Castro Ruz, concluded his speech at the opening of the 10th Congress of the CTC, the first one held after the revolutionary triumph. More than six decades later, the Cuban working class remains standing and arrives at its #22CongresoCTC as the vanguard of the Revolution and protagonist of all tasks aimed at safeguarding the Revolution and its gains.”

A strategic point was the analysis of the CTC’s role in the 176 government measures. The need to strengthen union representation in all forms of economic management, consolidate collective bargaining, support labor retraining processes, and contribute to the improvement of the Cuban business system was reaffirmed, ensuring that worker preparation and participation are essential in administrative decisions and company monitoring.

Furthermore, the workers’ congress took into account the concerns of its members regarding wages and the erosion of their purchasing power due to high prices.

Among the priorities for the coming years are providing support for retirees, protecting labor rights, increasing worker participation in management councils, and strengthening the union’s ties with communities.

This congress process, which aimed to boost production and support Cuban companies, began in January 2024 from the base of the trade union movement, continued with the conferences of the 15 national unions and the National Association of Innovators and Rationalizers (ANIR), until reaching its final and concluding sessions of the labor meeting.

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