Draft resolution on Venezuela
[This union] congratulates and supports the Venezuelan government for its utilization of the country’s wealth and resources for reforms to benefit working people, the poor and the landless.
[This union] notes the results of the referendum last August in Venezuela that gave President Hugo Chávez an overwhelming victory and a strengthened democratic mandate.
[This union] further notes that these results confirm that there is overwhelming support among working people and the poor for the social programme of the Chávez government in relation to education, literacy, job training, health care, land reform and subsidised food.
However, [This union] views with alarm the bellicose statements being made by the US Administration and its allies in Columbia and the oligarchy in Venezuela which pose a real threat to these reforms.
[This union] deplores the attempts of the United States administration to intervene in the internal life of Venezuela and agrees to raise these concerns with the Australian government.
[This union] expresses its solidarity with trade unionists in Venezuela and rejects any outside interference in their affairs.
[This union] notes the independent poll in July that showed over 70% support for Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez. It also notes the Venezuelan threat to suspend oil exports to the US if attacks on its government continue.
[This union] resolves to support the Venezuelan people's efforts to preserve their democratically elected government.
Action Plan
1. [This union] agrees to support wider trade union initiatives to highlight the issue of Venezuela within the Australian labour movement, including the organisation of a trade union delegation to meet and build links with Venezuelan trade unionists on May Day 2006.
2. [This union] will build and work with the Venezuela Solidarity Network working to provide solidarity to Venezuela.
3. [This union] is concerned about the lack of media coverage of events in Venezuela and urges [This union] to establish relations with the Venezuelan National Union of Workers (UNT) to ensure that news of trade union issues, at least, is more widely reported.
