Statement by Collective of Haitian trade Unions, Jan. 30, 2023
The trade unionists affiliated to the ITUC/CSA of Haiti (the CTH and the CTSP) as well as the representative trade union movement (ESPM/BO, CATH, CNOHA, FNSH) of the Dominican Republic (CASC, CNTD and CNUS) gathered in Villa CODEVI on January 25 and 26, 2023 and supported by the ITUC, the CSA, the union organizations of Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Costa Rica, Spain, France, Italy, Panama, the Dominican Republic and Sweden declare:
That the crisis in Haiti is due to poor governance, international interference, the absence of the rule of law and social justice, and a model of society in which the economy benefits an elite.
1, Any solution to the crisis in Haiti must begin with the recognition of the sovereignty of the country, the State and the people of Haiti. It is up to the people of Haiti to choose their leaders and their form of government. In the current context, any international armed intervention would go against the right to self-determination of Haitians.
2. The current context calls for the reconstruction of a new Haiti, with the reconstruction of the rule of law and social justice at its center.
– This implies the application of a decent work agenda based on four pillars: respect for workers' rights, access to social protection, the establishment of social dialogue and the massive creation of dignified and sustainable jobs.
– It also requires public policies that guarantee access to social services (education, health, housing, etc.), promote national production, fiscal justice and the fight against inequalities.
– Finally, it requires special attention to the rights of girls and women, who are the most exposed to violence and who are an essential component of the country's reconstruction.
3. The fight against insecurity and corruption and, beyond that, the resolution of the structural crisis in Haiti, require a transition and a break with the historical cycle of crises, shocks and interference. The representative trade union movement in Haiti is actively participating with other civil society actors in the "transition de rupture" project. This project implies the establishment of a transitional government, based on a broad national consensus of the representative forces of the country, which finally guarantees the conditions for the organization of legitimate, transparent and democratic elections.
The Haitian trade union movement counts on international solidarity, in general, and trade union solidarity, in particular, to support these demands and accompany the Haitian trade unions and other civil society actors in the construction of this new Haiti to which the people aspire.
Posted Feb. 26, 2023