The Cuban Government lays off hundreds of farm workers of the UBPC (Basic Units of co-op Production)

ALTO SONGO- Santiago de Cuba, September 19,  2000
New Release by: Humberto Melo Arias, ANAIC Coordinator

A new policy allegedly to improve production efficiency by cutting down the labor force among  the farm workers who work for the Basic Units of  Co-operative Production (UBPC)has had chaotic consequences, creating desperation within farm worker families.
The Basic Units more affected are the ones in the Sugar  Cane Industry. As an example in the UBPC “El Jazmín ”  of the Paquito Rosales Sugar Mill the labor force of the field workers has been reduced to 50 % while at the same time, the remaining workers must cover the same area.
The UBPC  “El Jazmín”  has approximately 300 workers. The only potion left for those laid off is to be transferred to the mountain areas for the coffee harvest far away.  The workers are challenging the measure, alleging that last Economic Report showed a profit of 25, 000 Cuban Pesos in this co-op, and therefore they consider this decision economically unjustified.
The daily salary of a farm work in Cuba is 6.43 Cuban Pesos, only $.031 a day. According with the reported profit of 25, 000 Cuban Pesos, the share per worker should be 83 Cuban Pesos, and annual share of $4.00.