Paul Benedek, Venezuela solidarity "brigadista", describes his experiences meeting with workers and unionists, including teachers, in Merida.
After returning from a beautiful trip through the Andes, we entered the offices of the UNT (National Union of Workers), the new revolutionary union that has quickly superceded the old conservative union structures.
The offices are spartan, with a huge banner proclaiming support for the revolution and workers' control. Immediately we are inspired by a very different type of unionism — a unionism far removed from any limitation to merely "bread and butter worker issues". Instead we deal with the rich, integrated cake of the revolution.
Benito is in the teachers' union, and explains to us the revolutionising of education. He describes how the simoncitos (pre-schools) promote care and education and challenge violence in pre-school, and care for children all day. Before President Hugo Chavez was elected in 1998, parents could only leave children at school either in the morning or the afternoon, which made it extremely difficult for workers. There were very few pre-school places. Now that has all changed.
The Bolivarian schools for students aged 6-13 promote overall education from 8am to 4pm, and like simoncitos, are completely free. Every meal is also free. Activities are broad, such as watching over a plantation and how it develops, and a range of recreational activities.
High school was previously divided between education for those going to university and those going to work. Now united for a rounded education, every person gains an understanding of the world, and there is more creativity and an emphasis on out-of-classroom learning. Part of this is endogenous development — learning to use what is in the community for the greatest development for the people.
There are more students staying at school now, and education is no longer considered an institution, but part of the community.
Mission Robinson (1 and 2) is providing literacy, especially for the aged, using the Cuban method of the young teaching the elderly. Around October, Venezuela will be declared illiteracy-free! Mission Rivas is for those who were excluded from, or who left early from, high school education and Mission Sucre is helping to get tens of thousands into university.
At this point in time, approximately half the population of Venezuela is involved in some form of study — schools, universities, technical colleges, pre-schools, missions, etc!
This is the base of the Bolivarian revolution, that is changing society fundamentally. And of course, it is all totally free.
Next we heard from Hugo, the regional president of the UNT, who described how Venezuela is a government of the working people, with the UNT involved in drafting laws and so on (compare that to Australia!). The UNT has a very youthful leadership. Another union leader told us how they want their resources to be used not just for Venezuelans, but for people across the world.
Then it was off to see for ourselves the situation for workers. Packing a dozen of us into a taxi meant for just eight people, we drove to a construction site at the foot of the Andes, a massive operation building several sporting complexes for the upcoming Andes games and Latin America-wide COPA football cup.
We were greeted by worker delegates and rank-and-file workers who outlined the gains in occupational health and safety, wage rises of some 60%, and the weekly workplace meetings they engaged in to involve everyone in decisions.
Then late in the afternoon we are dropped at Merida's Plaza Bolivar, where we swapped stories with left groups campaigning in the upcoming council elections, then off to dinner to celebrate the first day of the brigade in Merida, and Chavez's birthday.
Revolution doesn't even escape us when my brother and I slip into a late-night web cafe. The guy running it is a Chavista, and is eager to tell us of the fantastic state TV, and the new Latin America-wide television network Telesur, which is set to challenge CNN and Co. We have a great political exchange before bed.
[For more eye-witness accounts from the Australia-Venezuela solidarity brigade, visit <http://www.venezuelasolidarity.blogspot.com>.]
From Green Left Weekly, August 10, 2005.
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