Venezuelan Union Leaders Urge Chavez to Do Better

[Scottish_Militant]

Pro-Chavez Union Leaders in Venezuela Urge Chavez to Do Better (http://www.marxismonline.com/modules.php?name=ForumNews&id=372)

I think this is very healthy news coming from Venezuela. It shows that the leadership of the union truly has the interests of the workers at heart, it also shows that there is healthy democracy within the Bolivarian revolution where constructive criticism is not written off as “counter-revolutionary”, which in other revolutions was always an excuse to curb the basic demands of the working class for democracy, and strengthen the growing bureaucracy.

Chavez must listen to the union and give them what they want. If he fails to do this he will be in danger of losing his support from those who really matter – the working class.

Its also good to see them rooting out the bureaucrats in the movement, we can really do without people like Rangel Gomez.

[Nothing Human Is Alien]

Some of the unions in Venezuela are actually run by counter-revolutionary agents of the bourgeoisie.

[Scottish_Militant]

Indeed, but not the UNT which was actually recently formed for the very reason you stated above.

[Nothing Human Is Alien]

Right.. I was just pointing it out incase some folks didn't know.

[Scottish_Militant]

Orlando Chirino recently returned from a speaking tour of London.

UNT leader Orlando Chirino speaks to journalists at NUJ headquarters in London (http://www.handsoffvenezuela.org/unt_leader_chirino_nuj190905.htm)

Orlando Chirino addresses British Trade Unionists at Hands Off Venezuela fringe meeting (http://www.handsoffvenezuela.org/orlando_chirino_tuc_venezuela150905.htm)

[bolshevik butcher]

This is good to see. The world doesnt need another stalinist state. Constructive crtiticizm is useful and it shows that the members of the bolivarian movement aren't just chavez's sheep.

[chebol]

I met Governor Gomez when I was in Bolivar- he came across as very much the politician. The workers at ALCASA were quite antipathic towards him (as an ex-manager, who they had themselves fired, I'm not surprised).

This issue has been in the making for a while....