National work stoppage in Mexico

National Work Stoppage in Mexico Demands Reversal on Power Co. Takeover

By Dan  La Boltz

Labor Notes NOVEMBER 13, 2009
Tens of thousands of Mexican workers joined a national work stoppage to reverse the liquidation of the independent Electrical Workers union, but despite large and militant protests, its seems unlikely the government will be moved.

Benedicto Martínez, one of the three co-presidents of the independent Authentic Labor Front (FAT), told Labor Notes that the demonstrations in Mexico City were large and enthusiastic. “I believe that if workers resist and if the movement continues to grow things can change," he said, adding a call for continued coalition-building and international solidarity, "perhaps in the form of demonstrations at consulates in other countries.”

Yet, despite the size and militancy of the protests, and the union’s view that the national work stoppage was a success, there seems little likelihood that the government will be moved.

The takeover of the power company last month was accompanied by the firing of about 45,000 workers and the dissolution of the Mexican Electrical Workers (SME) union, an independent union that had been a leader in the fight against the government’s corporate-oriented agenda.

While members of the union were themselves unable to strike this week, having been physically forced out of their workplaces by the police, they did march, demonstrate, and join protests, and other workers struck and protested on their behalf.

Striking workers blocked highways in several states, surrounded and closed down government buildings in Mexico City, tied up the capital’s streets, and then marched by the tens of thousands to the zócalo, the national plaza, for a protest rally. The government mobilized 10,000 police to respond to the protest and in Queretaro there were violent confrontations between police and strikers.

Calderón claimed that there had been attempts to shut down power in Mexico City and the surrounding states, but the union attributed power failures to the incompetence of those now running the plants.

Even as the strike took place, several cabinet secretaries repeated the government’s position that the company closing, the firing of the workers, and the elimination of the union are permanent.

NO, YOU’RE FIRED!

Speaking at the rally in the zócalo, Martín Esparza, head of the Electrical Workers, called upon Secretary of Labor Javier Lozano to “pick up his severance pay and get out.” That, in effect, is what Lozano himself has been telling the fired Electrical Workers.

So far, according to media reports, more than half of the fired workers have received their severance pay, suggesting that they have given up the struggle to get back their jobs. A leader of the Electrical Workers says that far fewer, about 10,000, have accepted their severance. The union, nevertheless, continues to mobilize members and to fight both in the courts and on the streets to reverse the government’s decision.

Read the entire post at

http://www.labornotes.org/2009/11/national-work-stoppage-demands-reversal-mexican-power-takeover

Honduran labor calls for a national Strike for August 6

Honduran labor centers call a national strike for August 6

National Labor Committee
Honduras’s three principal labor centrals, the Unitary Confederation of Honduran Workers (CUTH), General Workers Central (CGT) and Confederation of Honduran Workers (CTH) have called for a national strike tomorrow, August 6, 2009.

PUBLIC STATEMENT (en Español)
The three workers Confederations of Honduras, CUTH, CGT and CTH address the critical political situation that prevails in our country as product of the coup d’état that threw out of the presidency Mr. Manuel Zelaya Rosales, legitimately elected by the Honduran people in free elections that took place in November 2005.
This not a personal problem, it’s about the business sector and the vested interests who have generated a struggle between classes because of the social measures sponsored by the deposed government.
Facing this situation, our organizations condemn these facts and we do not recognize the so-called authorities of a dictatorial and de facto government.
We demand of all the governments of the world, the World Bank, the Interamerican Development Bank, the Central American Bank for Economic Integration and of USAID to withdraw all the official support and to freeze loans and projects to this coup government, imposed by the arms, which has created an atmosphere of repression and violence. We make an exception with regard to that support which goes directly to the people and organizations.
We also demand of the OAS, the UN, to maintain and strengthen the resolutions to repudiate this fascist government, product of the force of the arms, and to withdraw all support.
We ask that the Government of the United States proceed in cancelling the bank accounts and visas to all those persons involved in the coup, to freeze planned support and to withdraw diplomatic representation, for as long as institutional order is not re-established with the return of Jose Manuel Zelaya to the presidency of the republic.
For all the above-mentioned, the CUTH, the CGT and the CTH call all their organizations to an open-ended national strike beginning on Thursday August 6 of 2009, until the restitution of institutional order and the return of Jose Manuel Zelaya to the presidency of the republic.
Our organizations must remain on alert and support the patriotic march to the cities of San Pedro Sula and Tegucigalpa.
DEMANDS
1. The reestablishment of the democratic institutional order
2. The return of Mr. Jose Manuel Zelaya Rosales to the presidency of the Republic.
3. The installation in Honduras of a Constituent National Assembly
4. That the repression against the Honduran people be ended.
ONLY UNITED WILL WE BE VICTORIOUS / HASTA LA VICTORIA SIEMPRE
Tegucigalpa, Morazán Central District, August 4 , 2009
National Executive Councils
CUTH CGT CTH
COMUNICADO
Las Centrales y Confederaciones obreras CUTH-CGT-CTH ante la critica situación política que vive nuestro país, producto del golpe militar que saco de la presidencia a don Manuel Zelaya Rosales, electo legítimamente por el pueblo hondureño, en elecciones libres llevadas a cabo en noviembre del 2005.
Este no es un problema personal, se trata de que el sector empresarial y los grupos facticos han generado una lucha de clases derivada de las medidas de contenido social que propició el gobierno que ha sido depuesto.
Ante esa situación nuestras organizaciones condenamos esos hechos y desconocemos las supuestas autoridades de un gobierno dictatorial y defacto.
Demandamos a todos los gobiernos del mundo, al BM,BID,BCIE y AID, que retiren sus ayudas oficiales y congelen prestamos y proyectos a este gobierno golpista impuesto por las armas, que esta creando un ambiente de represión y violencia. Hacemos la excepción de aquellas ayudas que vengan directas al pueblo y a las organizaciones.
Demandamos también de la OEA, la ONU que se mantengan y se fortalezcan las resoluciones de desconocimiento a este gobierno fascista producto de las fuerza de las armas y que se retire todo tipo de ayuda.
Al gobierno de Estados Unidos que proceda a la cancelación de cuentas y visas de todos esos personajes golpistas, que congele las ayudas previstas y que retire su representación diplomática, mientras no se restablezca la institucionalidad con el regreso del presidente legitimo de los hondureños José Manuel Zelaya Rosales.
Por todo lo expuesto anteriormente, la CUTH, la CGT y la CTH convocan a todas sus organizaciones a un paro nacional, por tiempo indefinido, a partir del jueves 6 de agosto del 2009, hasta que se restituya la institucionalidad y el regreso de José Manuel Zelaya a la presidencia de la República.
Que nuestras organizaciones se mantengan alertas, y apoyen la marcha patriótica hacia las ciudades de Sn Pedro Sula y Tegucigalpa.
DEMANDAS:
1. Restablecimiento de la institucionalidad democrática
2. Regreso de Don José Manuel Zelaya Rosales a la presidencia de la República
3. Que se instale en Honduras una asamblea nacional constituyente
4. Que cese la represión en contra del pueblo hondureño.
SOLO UNIDOS VENCEREMOS, HASTA LA VICTORIA SIEMPRE
Tegucigalpa, M. D. C. Agosto 4,2009.
CEN-CUTH CEN-CGT CEN-CTH
From Talking Union blog. http://www.talkingunion.wordpress.com