Labor Alerts (5,000 subscribers): a free service of Campaign for Labor Rights, a member of the Alliance for Global Justice To subscribe or unsubscribe, send a message to <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Web site: <www.summersault.com/~agj/clr> Phone: (541) 344-5410 Fax: (541) 431-0523 Membership/newsletter: Send $35.00 to Campaign for Labor Rights, 1247 "E" Street SE, Washington, DC 20003. Sample newsletter available on request. MEXICO UPDATE / ACTION REQUEST posted November 21, 1999 In this alert: Congeladora del Rio update Action request Background Upcoming events: WTO, Gap, Season of Conscience Corrections Sweatshop activist organizing packet <><><><><> CONGELADORA DEL RIO UPDATE Message from the FAT (Frente Autentico de Trabajadores - Authentic Workers Front) sent November 19, 1999 [Translation provided by United Electrical, Radio and Machine Workers of America (UE)] To all of our friends: As we advised you in our last update, a meeting recently took place in Leon between representatives of the company, the union and the state government in which the company gave its word of honor that it would begin re-hiring the fired workers as of November 15th. The events of the past week are as follows: On the 15th of November, approximately 80 workers presented themselves at the plant for work in accordance with the agreement. They were informed by the company that there was no fruit available yet. Faced with the insistence of the workers, Mr. Ovalle (who is said to be very close to Arthur Price) asked them to wait while he made some phone calls to strawberry producers. He returned at 11:00 am and instructed them to return at 1:00 pm on Wednesday, November 17th, as he had been promised that strawberries would be delivered that morning. On Wednesday, the workers again presented themselves at the time which had been indicated. After they had waited at the entrance to the plant, a minor management employee came out and told them that the union in the plant had selected 15 workers who would be permitted to enter and to begin work. The workers rejected this proposal, arguing that this had not been the understanding, and made a phone call to Lic. Gustavo Rodriguez, the representative of the State government, in order to tell him what had just occurred. Lic. Rodriguez offered to call the company, agreeing that this had not been the understanding. Lic. Rodriguez later called to inform us that there would be a meeting at the plant at 9:00 the following morning. Although the FAT's representative, Antonio Velazquez, appeared, he was excluded from the meeting. After the meeting, the government representative asked Antonio Velazquez for a complete list of all of the workers who were interested and available to return to work. The list was completed yesterday [November 18]. It has been provided to Lic. Rodriguez and he was to present it today. It is to be hoped that we will know on Monday [November 22] if there will be production and the workers will be re-hired. The information we have is that in fact there has been little fruit available because the cold in Guanajuato during recent weeks has delayed the strawberry harvest. The company has not been able to work complete shifts, but there has been some work and the company is trying to buy strawberries from the state of Michoacan. It would be helpful if you would write to the authorities of the state of Guanajuato, indicating that you are aware of the recent events, expressing appreciation for the steps taken by Lic. Rodriguez and sating that you are hopeful that he will be able to effect a satisfactory resolution to this dispute. Please receive our warm fraternal greetings and appreciation for the solidarity you have shown us. Benedicto Martinez O. General Secretary, FAT <><><><><> ACTION REQUEST Please copy, sign and email or fax the following letter to Governor Ramon Martin Huerta and Lic. Antonio Obreson Padilla (authorities of the state of Guanajuato, Mexico) and send the signature information below (not this entire alert!) to Campaign for Labor Rights by email <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> or fax (541) 431-0523: I have sent the letter to Governor Ramon Martin Huerta and Lic. Antonio Obreson Padilla. NAME: CITY & STATE (or COUNTRY if not U.S.): ORGANIZATION (if applicable): Governor Ramon Martin Huerta Guanajuato, Mexico Email: <[EMAIL PROTECTED] > Fax: 001-47-31-12-55 and Lic. Antonio Obreson Padilla Guanajuato, Mexico Email: same as above Fax: 011-47-31-12-96 Dear Governor Ramon Martin Huerta and Lic. Antonio Obreson Padilla: I have been informed of the events at Congeladora del Rio in recent months. I want to begin by expressing my appreciation for the important role your government has played in attempting to resolve this conflict. I am aware that, in a meeting which was arranged by your government, the company agreed to rehire all of the fired workers beginning on November 15th. I am also aware that the company has failed to do so, initially stating that there was no fruit and later that the selection of workers would be made by the incumbent union. I was pleased to hear of the forceful steps taken by your representative, Lic. Gustavo Rodriguez, when he was advised that the company was failing to live up to its pledges. I am hopeful that Lic. Rodriguez will be able to effect a satisfactory resolution of this dispute and that the workers will be able to return to work, as was agreed upon by the company. Sincerely, NAME: CITY & STATE (or COUNTRY if not U.S.): ORGANIZATION (for identification purposes only): <><><><><> CONGELADORA DEL RIO BACKGROUND Congeladora del Rio, located in Irapuato, Guanajuato, Mexico, specializes in freezing and preserving tropical fruits. Approximately 250-300 women and children - some as young as 11 years - are employed, usually on a seasonal basis, as packers in the plant, working long shifts and making as little as $3 per day. Organizing efforts at Congeladora began in May. On July 15, 200 workers went on strike to demand a fair contract. Starting September 17, strikers set up a picket line outside the factory. These workers were then fired. At the company's request, police sent in armed guards for intimidation. The company also bused in workers, mostly teenage girls, from another town to cross the picket line. In late September/early October, the state of Guanajuato intervened and set up a meeting between the Frente Autentico de Trabajadores (FAT - Authentic Workers Front) affiliate and the company. An agreement was reached which was relatively satisfactory to the workers. It mandated de facto recognition of a commission of workers and FAT advisors, with whom the company would begin to meet, and reinstatement of the fired workers. But then Global Trading, the U.S. parent company of Congeladora, refused to sign the agreement, brought in new strikebreakers and presented a different document, which had nothing to do with the one brokered by the state. Then the state of Guanajuato intervened once more and brokered a new written agreement, plus a somewhat better verbal agreement. As the present alert indicates, the company has yet to demonstrate that it intends to comply with the new agreement. <><><><><> UPCOMING EVENTS WORLD TRADE ORGANIZATION (WTO): Activists by the thousands will be gathering in Seattle in late November and early December to protest the World Trade Organization meeting and to present their vision of fair trade and economic justice. Among several sources of information on planned activities is the web site at <www.seattle99.org>. GAP DAY OF ACTION: The next Gap campaign day of action will be in conjunction with the World Trade Organization (WTO) protest in Seattle on Tuesday, November 30. Global Exchange is organizing a demonstration at an Old Navy store. (Gap owns Old Navy and Banana Republic, as well as Gap outlets.) There also may be Gap protests associated with some of the other WTO events planned around the country for November 30. The Gap campaign arose in response to revelations of outrageous sweatshop practices by Gap and other companies producing clothing on the U.S. territory of Saipan. For more information on the Gap campaign and the November 30 protest, see the Global Exchange web site: <www.globalexchange.org> or contact Global Exchange at (415) 255-7296 or <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>. SEASON OF CONSCIENCE DAY OF ACTION: Now in its third year, the Holiday Season of Conscience day of action is planned for December 9 this year. The events this year are part of the People's Right To Know campaign, which has called upon Wal-Mart to disclose the names and locations of the factories where its goods are produced. The National Labor Committee and the People of Faith Network invite local groups to organize demonstrations, vigils and other activities. For more information, contact (212) 242-3002 or <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> or visit the National Labor Committee web site at <www.nlcnet.org>. <><><><><> CORRECTIONS Nicaragua: One of the email addresses we asked you to write to was incomplete. According to the National Labor Committee, the correct address for Ambassador Oliver P. Garza is <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>. However, one person has reported to us that messages also are bouncing when sent to this email address. Nicaragua: The General Consul's name is spelled with a Z, not with an S: Zandate. Guatemala: Although <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> previously was a functioning email address for William Stixrud, the U.S. ambassador to Guatemala, messages now being sent to that address are bouncing. Perhaps the ambassador doesn't like hearing from the public. Indonesia: A recent Campaign for Labor Rights alert stated that Bata shoe company pays higher wages in Indonesia than Nike does. Further analysis suggests that more data are needed before making that claim. <><><><><> SWEATSHOP ACTIVIST ORGANIZING PACKET The third installment of the 1999 Sweatshop Activist Organizing Packet has been completed. Everyone who ordered the packet earlier automatically receives the updates. Anyone ordering now receives the third installment, plus whatever is still current from installments 1 and 2. Order by email <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> or phone (541) 344-5410. Include your postal address: Packet is in hard copy. Packet includes donation form and return envelope. Suggested donation: $10.00. If ordering from outside the United States, please pay by credit card. From within the U.S., either credit card or check payment is welcome. If you are paying by card, the charge will be credited to Campaign for Labor Rights through the Alliance for Global Justice, of which CLR is a member project. Your bill, however, will show a payment to the Alliance. Just email us your name exactly as it appears on the MasterCard, Visa or Discover card, your account number, the expiration date and the amount of the payment in U.S. dollars.
