By Verónica O’Kelly
The 5th Congress of the CSP – Conlutas opens debates on what union organization we need in a situation of global capitalist crisis, with governments forced to apply and maintain a constant counterrevolution against the working class and a Brazil governed by Lula, leading a new broad front government bourgeois parties and sectors, including the right and the “centrón”, former allies of the Bolsonaro government.
This congress leaves a contradictory result because, although there are important political agreements, the majority leadership of Conlutas, in the hands of the PSTU, reaffirms a mistaken method that is revulsive for the sectors of class based and militant unionism that are looking for a union federation to organize in. The hegemony imposed by a leadership that refuses to incorporate the diversity that exists in the labor and social organizations of our class weakens the federation and is mainly responsible for the departure of important unions and sectors.
A political analysis with a high level of convergence
During the 3 days of the congress, debates were held on the global and national situation and the class struggle. There is a lot of unity when it comes to analyzing and characterizing the current capitalist crisis and the importance of confronting progressive or center-left projects and governments that remain in the orbit of capital and the bourgeoisie.
An important debate, which also expressed a lot of political agreement, was about the war in Ukraine that, although there are nuances, the vast majority of those present declared themselves against the Russian invasion and in favor of strengthening support and solidarity with the Ukrainian people, without trusting NATO and denouncing its imperialist role in Eastern Europe.
There was also unanimous agreement to declare support for the Workers Left Front Unity of Argentina. On the part of the national leadership of the Socialist Revolution – LIS, Brazil, a clarification of the vote was made in the voted resolution, marking the importance of supporting the FITU not only in the elections, as proposed in the voted resolution, but also contributing to strengthen this important organizational tool for revolutionaries to act in the class struggle and incorporate more sectors, with a democratic method that expresses the political diversity that exists.
A delegation of comrades from militant unionism in Ukraine was present, along with international delegations from different countries, among them Guillermo Pacagnini, comrade from the Argentine section of the ISL, national leader of ANCLA (National Class and Antibureaucratic Organization) and of the MST (Socialist Workers Movement) in the FITU.
A mistaken method that weakens Conlutas
Political agreements are important but insufficient if we intend to strengthen a tool to organize the working class rank and file in Brazil. The majority leadership of the federation, in the hands of the PSTU, practices an undemocratic method that hinders its construction and growth. Militant union activists organized in unions, groups or currents, seek spaces where they can give their opinion and decide without being trampled by a monolithic leadership that is not capable of incorporating political diversity. Precisely for this reason, they flee from bureaucratic federations such as the CUT, CTB, etc.
This is how Conlutas was born, positioning itself as an alternative to the government and employers’ union bureaucracies. But, years later, this tool that sought to overcome the experience of the old union structures, reproduces several of their bureaucratic methods, which is causing the departure of important unions and sectors such as, for example, ANDES, the large national union of university professors. The PSTU acts, irresponsibly, as a monolithic leadership, refusing to work with and incorporate different opinions. It imposes its party’s policy on the entire federation, acting as if it were its collateral and hinders the exchange of ideas and collective development. This alienates union militants, activists or leaders who seek to organize to fight against the bosses and the union bureaucracy. Thus, the CSP-Conlutas has been qualitatively weakened. Precisely when a strong pole of regrouping of class unionism is most needed.
Important presence of Unidos Pra Lutar that reaffirms itself as the second force of the federation
With a great militant effort by comrades who traveled thousands of kilometers, the Unidos Pra Lutar union current, which Socialist Revolution promotes, was present with a delegation of over 100 delegates and activists.
We held debates and made the greatest efforts to strengthen the federation as a tool of struggle and democracy. Together with comrades from different unions and organizations, we prepared a manifesto against the unilateral and last-minute decision to reform the statute of the federation with the aim of maintaining control of it by the PSTU. We presented our list for the election of the new leadership, confirming that we are the second force in the federation, after the ruling PSTU and above the union groups of the CST, MRT and the POR. To close our participation, we held a large plenary session with the entire delegation present, where we resolved a plan of action for the next period. We came out very strengthened to continue fighting for a class based, militant and anti-bureaucratic unionism that aims to organize the important struggles that we face.