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CTCP-FNT: Report 2007 by Adrian Martinez, Secretary General
INTRODUCTION
During the past six years the CTCP has carried out a series of activities with workers in the informal economy of Nicaragua, actions which point towards the creation of a new path that will lead them towards new horizons, towards a new destiny.
To reach the summit is a challenge, because it requires a break from conditions and ideas which are closely linked to the neo-liberal economic model, which, to sustain itself, has created ideas and systems which erode and corrupt the sentiments, the conduct, the behaviour and actions of the people. To break through this barrier it is necessary to construct the organisational capabilities to resist, and develop the necessary instruments which facilitate the change of social and economic relations for the sector.
Our strategic object is the development of a new economic and social system which guarantees the correct application of the Rule of Law, free technical education, social security for all Nicaraguans, decent work and employment, this can be brought about by an equitable distribution of income, a security system for all, the recognition of own-account workers as new political actors who generate wealth, who demand education, health, financing, technical assistance and basic services to improve themselves,
The CNTS in its desire and responsibility to build such capacities to transform this system into a new one, has carried out a series of studies and diagnoses with the technical assistance of academic organisations such as CIPRES, ISACC, CES, CINASE and others whose studies have had financial support from solidarity organisations such as UGT, FOS Belgium, LO of Norway, the Danish Council of Unions and the ILO. The results have been very important in the development of this new path, this new horizon, a process which calls for the greatest capability.
For this reason the need to train and prepare its leaders with the capacity to propose alternatives to change the current situation, plan actions, to direct work, administer resources, and follow up and have control of the execution of the work plans.
The efforts made and the resources employed up until now have brought good results, above all in the unity of the sector, union organisation, the cohesion of their members in the territory, the participation and mobilization of workers, all of which indicate that great advances have been made. However, the aspects of management, dialogue and negotiation can be better used, in the same way as the development of micro and small businesses, belonging to workers, can be converted into small units could have a major effect on the socio-economic development of the country.
The experience accumulated by own-account workers in commerce and services, are a good point of departure. However attaining a position of social power is much more important. This requires working to develop an instrument which guarantees the exercise of power in a cohesive manner, and not simply the conversion now of micro and small businesses into economic units belonging to the workers.
To develop a new economic and social system, it is necessary to overcome the exploitive, and exclusive nature of resources, knowledge, technology and the market. To achieve this requires the support of the State of Nicaragua and its institutions.
To be able to reach the summit requires much effort, starting with achieving power to use it in the places where power is exercised and public policies are decided. For this a powerful union organisation is required, where people have access to knowledge, technology, capital and land. That is to say, to have the necessary means to advance in a sustained manner, because this deals with the actions which workers have to carry out in their daily duties.
That set out in the foregoing points affirms the great potential which the informal economy has in Nicaragua for the economic and social development of the country, however, the objectives to be achieved cannot be to expand this type of economy, attempting to take advantage of its potential to generate wealth and employment. It involves moving from the informal arena to the formalisation of work. To achieve this we have established the following objectives:
SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES
To move forward with this transition process the CTCP has proposed achieving the following objectives:
To train own-account workers and raise their education and technical levels so that they may have greater success in the performance of their micro- and small enterprises and reach the transition from informal to formal workers more rapidly.
Deal urgently with the fundamental causes of the increase and persistance of the informal economy, breaking the barriers which impede the formalisation of this economy, as this represents an important pillar in the socioeconomic development of the country.
To have available the resources, the means and the technical knowledge so that these workers may make suitable use of these, and also establish a special system of social protection that permits own-account workers to be rapidly incorporated into the social security system.
To promote discussion and approval in the National Assembly of an Act which recognises own-account workers as political subjects in the generation of wealth who form part of Government statistics and in this way have the power to defend their right to economic opportunities.
ACTIVITIES CARRIED OUT
With the aim of achieving the objectives established by the organisation, the following activities have been carried out:
1. Negotiations were entered into with the Local Government of the City of Managua, the main objective of which was to establish the working and participatory mechanisms in the decision-making process in the Municipal Rubbish Dump of the City of Managua (LA CHURECA), where the recycling workers union held a strike which lasted 33 days until the form of participation of the workers in this project was defined.
2. Negotiations have been carried out with the private company Centro Comercial Metrocentro, the proprietors of which are members of the Pome family of El Salvador, concerning the construction of the Commercial Area for Own-account Workers, as a result of which 22 workers benefited from the construction of mobile commercial modules which guarantee order, hygiene, the attractiveness of the environment and personal security in the area in which these working comrades will be located.
3. The organisation of 1 800 workers in the Las Mercedes Open Industrial Zone Market on the periphery of Managua, which will permit improvements in working conditions, hygiene and personal security, and in the process negotiation with the central government for 45 micro-credits through the Zero Profiteering Program which benefits only women workers.
4. The CTCP, with the intention of raising the capacity of its national leaders, is developing a Special Diploma course on Management of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises, with the participation of 26 leaders, which will have a duration of two years, finishing on the 16 December 2009.
5. With the intention of raising the cultural and technical level of the workers of the CTCP-FNT, a program of Formal Education (secondary studies) with the participation of 172 workers, as well as accelerated primary education with the participation of 43 workers, an activity which has the support of the National Agricultural University (UNA) and the Independent National University of Nicaragua (UNAN).
6. Due to the lack of access to micro-credit to perform its activities and convert its units into small companies generating wealth, the CTCP has promoted the creation of the Multiple Services Cooperative, R.L. (COOVIN), through which 435 micro-credits have been authorised to an equal number of beneficiaries, by means of a revolving fund supported by the Joseph Comaposada of Catalunya and the Danish Council of Unions. This fund has provided a means to Own-account Workers to change to a new perspective on development.
Finally, we would like to share with you that, with all the advances we have made, the eviction, humiliation, scorn, persecution and imprisonment of the leaders of organised own-account workers are still intense, as one of the principal elements of the neo-liberal model is to damage the self-esteem of people and subject them to punishment for their misfortunes.