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Nicaragua is no stranger to the horrors of neo- liberal austerity economics. At the invitation of Unison International Department, two young Nicaraguan trade union activists visited England andWales in June 2012 and inspired hundreds of people with their talks on actions taken in theircountry to counteract the global orthodoxy that is failing the majority so drastically and deepeningpoverty. Young people are at the forefront of revolutionary economic measures implemented since2006 when Nicaraguans voted to end the succession of destructive right wing governments. Thevisitors, Arelis Lpez Salinas and Emerson Silva Urbina, benefitted from the leadership skills trainingfor young people financed b y Unison and CWU. In addition to our union organising work thetraining helps us communicate and raise awareness among young people .

Arelis and Emerson represented UNE, the Nicaraguan Public Sector union, on a speaker tour thatbegan with the Unison National Delegates Conference in Bournemouth. Meetings with unionmembers and activists in Oxford, Wolverhampton, Birmingham, Colwyn Bay, Mold, London and of course, Bournemouth, heard how Nicaragua, the second poorest country in the westernhemisphere, has once again entered a period of restructure and growth under the Sandinistagovernment. On hearing about the tide of cuts implemented by UKs Con -Dem government, theyadded their voices to the clamour already coming out of Latin America, Dont go where wevebeen it doesnt work!

At Unison Conference, comparing experiences of youth organising, with Mandy Richards (centre) of

Hackney Youth Parliament

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The example of Nicaragua is as relevant today as it was in the 1980s during the period of Sandinistagovernment when Margaret Thatcher was in power in UK. At a time when we are so desperate forviable alternatives Arelis and Emerson reported how:

A range of new laws protects Nicaraguan workers rights including collective bargaining Education and healthcare is now free to all The 50/50 law aims to ensure equal numbers of female and male candidates in upcoming

local elections in November Femicide is now recognised as a specific crime. Nicaragua has seen the highest economic growth of any Central American country, 4.4% The government target for energy from renewable sources by 2017 is 96%. Young people comprise 60% of the population and are therefore critical to the future of the

country. They are organised in work, unions, schools, neighbourhoods, and disasterprevention committees. Being involved in social structures from a young age is seen asinstrumental in bringing about positive social change. Arelis and Emerson said We are inno doubt the future is in our hands.

The average age of a Nicaraguan trade union member is 33. In UK it is 54.

Many of the economic and social advances have been made possible by Nicaraguas membership of the Bolivarian Alliance for the Peoples of our America (ALBA), a political and economic bloc of progressive Latin American and Caribbean nations. It is built on a common conceptualisation of Latin American development, that is not dependent on trade with USA.

Further information:http://www.nicaraguasc.org.uk/campaigns/ALBA/ALBA%20briefing%20Nov%202011%20.pdf

http://www.nicaraguasc.org.uk/campaigns/ALBA/ALBA%20briefing%20Nov%202011%20.pdfhttp://www.nicaraguasc.org.uk/campaigns/ALBA/ALBA%20briefing%20Nov%202011%20.pdfhttp://www.nicaraguasc.org.uk/campaigns/ALBA/ALBA%20briefing%20Nov%202011%20.pdf

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Meeting with Clwyd Latin American Human Rights Group in Mold. Ben Gregory (right) of WalesNSC gives a bilingual Welsh/English introduction, Apollo Santana (left) interprets.