On Saturday, Cuban economist Pedro Monreal delivered a scathing critique of the eighth measure in a series of 176 economic reforms approved by the National Assembly on June 18 and 19. He described this measure as "anti-worker," arguing that it essentially turns state enterprise employees into "sacrificial lambs."
Monreal, who shares his insights on his platform "El Estado como tal," focused on the wage mechanism outlined in the measure. According to him, salaries will no longer be based on the skill, quality, or quantity of work performed. Instead, they will hinge on each company's "economic-financial capacity," with decision-making power resting in the hands of management.
The regime's official document states that "salary levels, negotiated with workers and involving the union, will depend on the economic-financial capacity of the companies." Monreal believes this language conceals a trap: "It's a rigged game that fails to balance the rights of workers and employers within a market-driven economy. Moreover, it does not acknowledge any democratic counterbalance mechanisms for workers."
Monreal argues that the measure even betrays the principles the regime claims to uphold. "For 'Cuban-style socialism,' not a drop seems left of Marx's 'Critique of the Gotha Program,' where he emphasized 'from each according to his ability, to each according to his work,'" he wrote, referencing a foundational Marxist text.
Labor Rights and International Commitments
Monreal's critique extends beyond wage policy to highlight a fundamental flaw in the Cuban system: the lack of basic labor rights. "An equitable reform consistent with social justice must acknowledge the right to strike and form free unions. There's no foundation in International Law to justify this 'oversight' of 'Cuban socialism,'" he asserted.
To back this point, the economist notes that Cuba has been a founding member of the International Labour Organization (ILO) since 1919, which considers the right to strike a crucial component of freedom of association. Furthermore, Cuba ratified ILO Convention 87 on freedom of association in 1952, formally committing to safeguard this right.
In practice, however, this commitment is nonexistent. In Cuba, only the Central de Trabajadores de Cuba (CTC), a single union organization subservient to the Communist Party, operates. Independent unions are not permitted, and the right to strike is not recognized in national legislation. The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) has documented the practical absence of this right on the island.
Contradictions Within the Reform Package
Monreal also highlights an internal contradiction within the reform package. While measure #8 fosters exploitative conditions for state workers, measure #36 of the same package explicitly condemns "indiscriminate exploitation." "The official stance might be that the exploitation resulting from measure #8 does not qualify as the 'indiscriminate exploitation' condemned in measure #36. It's a bad situation when those in power contradict themselves, deceive, and expect gratitude," Monreal remarked.
His analysis comes amid the most significant structural reform the regime has announced since the Special Period of the 1990s. Prime Minister Manuel Marrero Cruz presented the package to the National Assembly, which includes measures like authorizing private banking, transforming state enterprises into joint-stock companies, and opening up to foreign investment. Marrero himself acknowledged to lawmakers that the implementation will generate "contradictions."
The application of the package mandates modifying over 148 legal provisions and approving 32 new regulations. While the regime portrays the measures as a historic opening, critical voices like Monreal's warn that without genuine labor rights, any economic reform will continue to burden workers. "Union freedom is an extension of basic civil rights," the economist concluded in his analysis shared on social media this Saturday.
Key Questions on Cuba's Economic Reforms
What is the main criticism of Pedro Monreal regarding the economic reforms?
Pedro Monreal criticizes the reforms for being anti-worker, arguing that they shift the financial burden onto state enterprise employees without providing them with adequate labor rights such as the freedom to strike and form independent unions.
How does the reform package affect workers' salaries in state enterprises?
The reform package proposes that workers' salaries will depend on the economic-financial capacity of their companies, rather than on the quality or quantity of their work. This decision-making power is placed in the hands of company management.
Does Cuba recognize the right to strike and form independent unions?
No, Cuba does not recognize the right to strike or allow the formation of independent unions. The only existing union, the Central de Trabajadores de Cuba, is controlled by the Communist Party.