> October 11, 1995 > >-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- > --URGENT ACTION- EL SALVADOR -URGENT ACTION-- > >-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- > MAQUILA WORKER DIES FROM NEGLIGENCE > 90 WOMEN FIRED AS BENEFITS DUE TO START > Dear Friends, > > We have received news from the Committee in Solidarity with the People > of El Salvador who were informed by the Central de Trabajadores > Democraticos (CTD) in El Salvador that on October 5th, Maria Paula > Rodriguez Abarca, 23 years old, died of cardiac arrest while working in > the HAN CHANG TEXTILES S.A. de C.V. factory located in the free trade > zone of San Marcos, owned by Mr. Sung H. Kim. Ms. Rodriguez had asked > for permission to leave the maquila to go to the hospital. Instead of > being given permission, she was given medicine that caused her > immediate death. Ms. Rodriguez leaves behind a 3-year-old daughter, now > an orphan. > > Also on October 5th, in the maquila factory, "Encasa y Esmodica", in > Santa Ana, owned by Legislative Deputy Milena De Escalon, sister of > President Calderon Sol, 90 women workers were fired. The reason given > for the firing was lack of supplies but when two experienced maquila > workers went to apply for a job at the same maquila the following day, > they were immediately offered work. > The fired workers all had worked at the maquila for a year or more and > are due benefits according to the Salvadoran labour code. They were > offered only two weeks' salary of 500 colones ($60 U.S.) indemnization, > which they are not accepting. This is only half of the mandatory > severance pay. When the workers did not accept the cheques and asked > for full severance pay, they were accused of being communists, > guerrillas, union members, and terrorists. A North American > representative of the maquila, Lauren Garfield, threatened the workers, > saying she was noting their names as communists in the event of a > workers' "uprising". > > BACKGROUND INFORMATION > The practice of firing maquila workers in the fall is common to avoid > paying workers benefits that come due. It is also common practice for > maquila owners to avoid paying vacation time which is due after a year > of employment and a Christmas bonus, due for those who have worked a > minumum of six.months.By hiring and firing people in the fall, owners > can avoid paying both benefits due under the Salvadoran labour code. > > The two cases above represent thousands of other cases of injustices > against the workers in the maquilas. Strong reforms to the free trade > zone laws have been proposed by a coalition of women's organizations > and the Ministry of Economy. > > The next step is for President Calderon Sol to send the reforms to the > legislative assembly. Gloria Salgero Gross, the President of the > Legislative Assembly will facilitate the discussion and vote on the > reforms. > > RECOMMENDED ACTION: > Please send messages to the Government of El Salvador, condemning the > death of Paula Rodriguez and the firing of the 90 women, urging that an > immediate investigation take place and that President Calderon Sol send > the Legislative Assembly reforms to the Law of the Free Trade Zones > (Ley del Regimen de Zonas Francas y Recintos Fiscales), so that they > can be implemented immediately. > > If unable to get a FAX to San Salvador, you can try the Salvadoran > embassy. > > Please also send messages to the Canadian Minister of Foreign Affairs, > urging the Canadian government to give the Salvadoran government the > same message. > > Please send copies of this message to the Foreign Affairs critics for > the NDP and the Reform Party. (Eastern Canada covers the Bloc > Qubecois.) > > ADDRESSES > Lic. Armando Caldern Sol > FAX:011-503-2-214 532 > Presidente de la Republica, > 011-503-2-710 950 > Casa Presidencial, > San Salvador, EL SALVADOR > > His Excellency Alfredo Francisco Ungo, FAX: 1-613-238-6940 > Ambassador of El Salvador, Telephone: > 1-613-238-2939 > > Hon. Andr Ouellet, FAX: (613) 996-3443 > Minister of Foreign Affairs, Phone: (613) 995-8872 > House of Commons, > Ottawa, Ont. K1A 0A6 > > Svend Robinson, M.P. (NDP) FAX: (613) 992-5501 > Bob Mills, M.P. (Reform Party) FAX: (613) 995-6831 > > > > >
