This is a multi-part message in MIME format.
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chriscd@jhu.edu; Tue, 09 Jun 1998 13:00:47 -0400 (EDT)
for chriscd@jhu.edu; Tue, 09 Jun 1998 13:00:48 -0400 (EDT)
09 Jun 1998 12:56:37 -0400 (EDT)
Date: Tue, 09 Jun 1998 12:56:37 -0400 (EDT)
From: Balt FNB <fnb@mail.all-systems.com>
Subject: Follow-up for todays Han Young Strike Support Demo
To: Labor Support <fnb@icaer.org>
Follow-up on call for Han Young Strike Support Demos.
Today's Demo June 9th, will convene at 4:30 at 101 West Lombard
Phone Contact Number is (410)675.4600
- Carl, Karin, Sarah, Shannon
- Baltimore Food-Not-Bombs;
- Coalition in Support of Struggles Against Global Corporatism
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
The situation at Han Young tells us why we should
GET OFF THE FREE TRADE ROAD TO RUIN!!!
Three times the workers at a small factory near Tijuana,
Mexico have voted to be represented by the independent union
of their choice: October 6, 1997, December 16, 1997, May 29,
1998
And each time, management has refused to respect the
workers' choice; the Mexican government has violated its own
labor laws; government-controlled unions have tried to
muscle their way back into the factory.
Remember all those promises about NAFTA?
The Han Young workers can tell you what NAFTA is really
about: Violence from paid thugs; Indifference and corruption
from Mexican government officials; Empty promises from
Mexican President Zedillo and U.S. President Clinton
The workers at Han Young have been struggling for their
rights since June 2, 1997...more than a year! They are
fighting for the right of all workers along Mexico's border
with the U.S. who would like to bust loose from corrupt,
government-controlled unions and be able to join democratic,
independent unions - real unions.
The Han Young workers are not alone. We are out here today
to show our solidarity. This is part of a national action.
People in cities all across the country are participating in
a national day of action on and around June 16,
demonstrating at Mexican consulates and U.S. federal
buildings. We will stand with these workers until justice is
won.
And we have learned the lessons of Han Young:
Stop the Free Trade Area of the Americas (NAFTA on steroids)!
Stop fast track!
Dump NAFTA!
For more information, contact:
Campaign for Labor Rights at (541) 344-5410 or <CLR@igc.apc.org>
Summary of recent events:
* Tuesday, May 19: Han Young management announces refusal to negotiate
changes in existing current which runs only through May 21.
* Thursday, May 21: Busload of CTM thugs arrives at factory.
* Friday, May 22: Han Young workers go on strike. Production ceases. CTM
thugs, who had stayed in the factory overnight, tear down strike banners.
* Saturday, May 23: Management declares strike "non-existent." Labor board
inspector backs up this patently false claim.
* Tuesday, May 26: Labor board agrees to workers' demand for new strike
vote to establish whether a majority supports the strike.
* Wednesday, May 27: Labor board refuses to verify eligibility to vote,
allows more than 52 clearly fraudulent participants to vote. Tally is 66
against the strike and 52 for the strike.
* Thursday, May 28: Labor board declares strike non-existent, giving
spurious justifications.
* Friday, May 29: Third union certification election held at Han Young.
Even though the labor board allows more than 48 ineligible participants to
vote for the CTM, the tally is 75-65 in favor of "October 6," an independent
union registered to operate within Baja. A Mexican federal judge suspends
the labor board decision nullifying the strike, thus reinstating the strike
at least until review by a higher federal court scheduled for June 18. In
return for buying ad space in Tijuana newspapers, the government demands a
local media blackout on coverage favorable to the workers. U.S. Congressman
David Bonior issues statement that recent events at Han Young "could have
long-term implications for U.S. trade policy."
* Saturday, May 30: Local newspaper carries statement by
government-aligned union official characterizing the Han Young workers as
tools of foreign interests seeking to derail investment in Mexico.
* Wednesday, June 3: The labor board announces that it is postponing
indefinitely its scheduled decision on the outcome of the union
certification election. In blatant violation of the federal court order,
police forcibly remove strike banners from the Han Young factory and impound
two workers' cars. Warrants issued for the arrest of the lawyer and the lead
organizer for the independent union on unspecified charges. Union officials
go into hiding. Workers issue statement declaring that "In Baja California,
labor justice is a dead letter" and appealing for "national and
international solidarity to unite in support of our just struggle for the
defense of labor rights for maquiladora workers." Support Committee for
Maquiladora Workers issues emergency appeal to international solidarity for
contributions to worker strike fund.
* Thursday, June 4: $1,000 bond paid to suspend action on arrest warrants
but officials of the independent union are still wary, given recent blatant
violations of Mexican law and federal court decision. Representatives of
U.S. solidarity organizations plan long-term strategy for Han Young campaign
and issue call for (inter)national day of action on June 16. Independent
labor organizations hold press conferences in Mexico City and Mexicali
(capital of Baja) in support of Han Young workers.
* Friday, June 5: Solidarity delegation goes to Mexican consulate in San
Francisco to deliver letter to Zedillo signed by representatives of more
than 300 organizations around the world. List includes some Mexican labor
officials. Han Young worker demonstration at U.S. consulate in Tijuana gets
local media coverage, in spite of government attempts to impose media
blackout on Han Young.
HAN YOUNG DAY OF ACTION: Cities where demonstrations are certain or
likely follows:
San Francisco, California; Portland, Oregon; Eugene, Oregon;
Long Beach, California; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania;
Chicago, Illinois; New York City; Seattle, Washington;
Baltimore, Maryland; Sacramento, California; Salt Lake City, Utah
This is a strong show of solidarity to be brought together on very short
notice.
HAN YOUNG STILL REFUSING TO NEGOTIATE: Han Young management continues to
refuse to negotiate with the workers. According to management, the
government has told them that they shouldn't negotiate, pending the outcome
of the June 18 federal hearing and should stick by the position that the
strike is nonexistent.
INDUSTRY ASSOCIATION PLACES AD: Tijuana papers today carried a full-page
advertisement placed by the Tijuana delegation of the CNIT, one of the
national industry associations. The ad applauded the labor board's May 28
decision that the strike at Han Young is "non-existent." The ad also
reproached "intervention" by "foreign interests" seeking to "destabilize the
cordial labor relations that have always existed in Tijuana." It is unlikely
that the chief motivation of the CNIT was to publish their perspective but
instead the association may be using its ad-purchasing power to buy silence
from the local press, which acceded to similar pressure from the Baja state
government last week.
WORKERS DEMONSTRATE: While on strike, the Han Young workers have been
demonstrating at sites in Tijuana on a 6-day-a-week basis. On Friday (June
5), their chief focus was the U.S. consulate. Today, their chief focus was
the Korean consulate. They also have been reaching out to other workers in
the area by leafleting at industrial parks.
HUMAN RIGHTS HEARING: On Saturday (June 6), national deputies from Mexico
City were in Tijuana in connection with a plan to reform Mexico's human
rights legislation. As part of the process, there is a series of
consultations throughout the country which are supposed to be open to the
public. However, the hearings are never announced. The Han Young workers
were able to learn of this consultation, which they attended in order to
give their perspective, saying that basic labor rights such as the right to
organize and the right to strike need to be understood as fundamental human
rights. As Mexican law now stands, such labor rights are not considered as
fundamental human rights and so governmental human rights personnel are
barred from dealing with labor rights concerns.
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"In Baja California, labor justice is a dead letter." - from a statement
issued June 3 by the Han Young workers
"We call for national and international solidarity to unite in support of
our just struggle for the defense of labor rights for maquiladora workers."
- from the statement issued by the Han Young workers
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