This message is forwarded from the Support Committee for Maquiladora Workers:
URGENT NEWS FLASH!!!
On the morning of May 11, 150 members of the Tijuana and Baja California police
removed the strike flags at the Han Young factory, and escorted a group of
strike-
breakers into the plant. This action was in clear violation of the
decision of Baja
California's highest court, which ruled the strike legal, the state labor
board, which
agreed, and federal court orders protecting the strike.
Telegrams are urgently requested to Mexican President Ernesto Zedillo. A
sample telegram follows this message.
A HAN YOUNG STRIKE UPDATE FROM THE OCTOBER 6th UNION
(English translation/Original Spanish below)
May 8, 1999
Dear Friends
The October 6th Union has succeeded in making such an impact with the
reinstallation of the strike banners at the Han Young maquiladora that it
has caused a reaction of amazement on the part of public to see all the
government attempts to obstruct our constitutional rights to strike and
to freedom of association and to organize a union defeated. They also saw
the anger of the Mexican Business Owners Confederation (COPARMEX) and the
Maquiladora Industry Association whose attorneys replaced the fired Han
Young attorneys. Wednesday, May 5, the anniversary of the Battle of
Puebla (an historic date on which Mexicans succeeded in holding back the
foreign invasion that intended to dominate and enslave our country), we
held back their efforts to physically force us to leave the strike with
10 patrol cars of police led by attorneys for the company arguing that we
were disturbing the peace; this being the best homage that we could offer
to the heroes of our country that gave their lives to defend us from the
foreigners. We obstructed their efforts with tremendous anger that they
would intervene in the strike and demanded that they respect our right to
strike. We told them that if they wanted to safeguard the public order,
they should do it in places in Tijuana where delinquency and murder are
the order of the day.
Thursday, May 6 in the afternoon, the Subdirector of Labor and the
Subsecretary General of the State Government, accompanied by the police,
once again tried to route the strike, arguing that the strike banners
must be put up at the company's former premises. We pointed out that the
strike was not against builidings but against the company Han Young de
Mexico, S.A.de C.V., and we had in our posession the proof -- company pay
stubs and telephone bill reciepts in the name of the company at the new
address -- to show this is where the company was really operating. (We
had trapped "the sparrow." Translator's note: Because ther are many
maquiladoras who have "disappeared" in the middle of the night without
paying their workers, much as the sparrows disappear in droves from one
day to the next, those companies that move their locations to avoid their
lawful obligations have also come to be known as "golandrinas" or
"sparrows.")
And so, although they had government help, it was impossible for them to
hide themselves. We succeeded in getting these public functionaries to
leave but before they took off, they threatened us cordially, inviting us
to give up our strike peacefully or face forceful dislocation by the
Special Forces in the morning.
Today, Friday, we were on a state of red alert, fearful that we would be
forced out. Nevertheless, we succeeded in obtaining a federal court
protection order against any attempts to remove or arrest the strike at
the company's new address. At approximately 11:00 AM members of the
police Special Forces started to arrive, forcing us to construct
barricades so that they would not force us out. They could see our
determination and finally we succeeded in obtaining a new federal court
protection order that we were had handed over at approximately 11:30AM
that prevents our dislocation from the new address of the company by
whatever authorities.
We hope now that the government, instead of repression against our strike
movement, will limit itself to mediating and seeking dialogue between the
company and the union to modify and sign a new contract. We are going to
endeavor to continue to send reports of the events of the Han Young
strike. Our resistance continues for which we request that all be on
alert and seek out forms of solidarity aid for our movement. You can
contact us c/o Union de Defensa Laboral Comunitaria (Union for Labor
Community Defense), P.O. Box 632802, San Diego, CA 92163 or c/o Support
Committee for Maquiladora Workers, 4535 30th St. #209, San Diego, CA
92116.
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8 de mayo de 1999
Estimados/as amigos/as:
Ha sido tanto en el impacto logrado por el Sindicato "6 de
Octubre" al instalar las banderas huelguisticas en la empresa Han Young
de nuevo, que ha causando mucho asombro en la opinion publica al ver
derrotados todos los intentos del gobierno por impedir nuestros derechos
constitucionales a la huelga y la libre asociacion sindical y ante el
enojo de la confederacion patronal mexicana (COPARMEX) y la Asociacion de
la Industria Maquiladora, que desidieron despedir los abogados de la
empresa Han Young, y poner los abogados patronales de estas asociaciones,
y el miercoles, 5 de mayo el aniversario de la Batalla del Puebla (fecha
historica en que los mexicanos logramos contener la invasion extranjera
con intentos de dominacion y esclavizar nuestro pais), impedimos el
desalojo que pretendieron hacer con diez patrullas de la policia que
argumentaban que estabamos alterando el orden encabezadas por abogados de
la Empresa, siendo el mejor homenaje que podiamos ofrecer a los heroes de
nuestra patria que entregaran su vida para defendernos de los
extranjeros. Les impedimos con mucho corage que intervenieran en la
huelga y les exijimos que respetaran el derecho de huelga de los
trabajadores y si quieran guardar el orden lo hicieron en los lugares de
Tijuana donde la delinquencia y los asasinatos estan el orden del dia.
El dia jueves 6 de Mayo por la tarde el Subdirector del Trabajo y
el Sub-Secretario General de Gobierno del Estado acompanado de policias
de nueva cuenta intentaron a desalojar los huelguistas argumentando que
las bandaras de huelga deberian colocarses en el domicilio donde antes
estaba la empresa. Les senalamos que la huelga no era contra domicilios
sino contra la empresa Han Young de Mexico, S.A. de C.V. y teniamos en
nuestro poder los comprobantes de nomina de salarios de la empresa y
recibos de telefono a nombre de la Empresa con la direccion del nuevo
domicilio para mostrar que esta nueva direccion esta ubicando
perfectamente a la empresa Han Young (ATRAPAMOS LA GOLONDRINA) que aun
con la ayuda del gobierno lo le fue imposible esconderse. Logramos que
se retiraran estos funcionarios publicos pero antes de irse nos
amenazaron cordialmente, invitandonos a que nos retiramanos pacificamente
de la huelga o por la manana serianos desalojados por las fuerzas
especiales. Este dia viernes, estuvimos en estado de alerta roja,
temerosas de ser desalojados. Sin embargo logramos obtenir un amparo de
proteccion de la justicia federal para evitar cualquier intento de
desalojo o de arresto de la huelga en el nuevo domicilio de la empresa.
Aproximadamente a los 11:00 de la manana empezaran a llegar elementos de
las esfuerzas especiales de la policias los cuales obligamos mediante
barricadas que no nos desalojaran y ser retiraran del lugar al ver
nuestra determinacion y finalmente logramos un nuevo amparo de proteccion
de la justicia federal para impedir ser desalojados por cualquier
autoridad en el nuevo domicilio de la Empresa, que nos fue entregado
aproximadamente a las 11:30 del viernes. Esperamos ahora que el gobierno
en el lugar de reprimir el movimiento de huelga se limite a mediar y
buscar el dialogo entre la empresa y el sindicato para la modificacion y
firma de un nuevo contrato colectivo de trabajo. Vamos a procurar estar
enviado informes de los acontecimientos de la huelga de Han Young. La
resistencia continua por lo que pedimos a todos estar alertas y buscar
formas de ayuda solidaria con nuestro movimiento.Contactarnos atraves de
UNION DE DEFENSA LABORAL COMUNITARIA, P.O.BOX 632802, San Diego, CA 92163
y/o c/o Support Committee for Maquiladora Workers, 4535 30th St. #209,
San Diego, CA 92116.
[Also see address for Zedillo at end of this message.]
Telegram to President Zedillo:
President Ernesto Zedillo
Los Pinos
Mexico City, DF
Mexico
President Zedillo:
A month ago a final decision by the Tribunal Collegiado del Decimoquinto
Circuito,
the highest court of Baja California Norte, declared the strike of the
Sindicato 6 de
Octubre at the Han Young factory legal. Yet on May 11 the state judicial
police
and the Special Forces of Tijuana broke the strike and brought strikebreakers
into the factory. Further, arrest orders have been illegally issued against
leaders of the Sindicato 6 de Octubre.
These are grave violations of Mexican law, and the integrity of its
judicial system.
It appears that the city of Tijuana is no longer subject to the rule of
law, that
state and federal courts and their orders have no power, and that extreme
violations of workers rights go completely unpunished.
To use these conditions as an attraction for foreign investment is both
immoral,
and a violation of international law and labor standards. When you seek
further investment during your upcoming visit to California, you can be
sure that as advocates for the rights of workers, we will publicize the
current
lawless situation in Tijuana.
We respectfully demand that you take immediate action to reestablish
the rule of law and protect the rights of workers in Tijuana. It is clear that
federal intervention, and your own personal action, is now necessary.
Signed,
___________________________________________________________________
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david bacon - labornet email david bacon
internet: [EMAIL PROTECTED] 1631 channing way
phone: 510.549.0291 berkeley, ca 94703
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Ernesto Zedillo Ponce de Leon
President
Palacio Nacional
Patio de Honor, Piso 1, Col. Centro
06067 Mexico City DF
Mexico
phone 52-5-395-6700, fax 52-5-395-6790
e-mail page http://www.presidencia.gob.mx/pages/f_forma.html
