From: Bob Olsen <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Date: Sun, 15 Apr 2001 18:25:29 -0400 To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: Mexican labour struggles need support Date: Sun, 15 Apr 2001 13:02:42 -0400 From: Maquila Solidarity Network <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: MSN Campaign Updates from Mexico April 16, 2001 Maquila Solidarity Network Campaign Updates 1. Struggle Continues at Kuk Dong, Atlixco, Mexico 2. NAO Report Confirms Mexico’s Failure to Enforce OH&S Regulations 1. STRUGGLE CONTINUES AT KUK DONG On March 18, a group of workers at the Kuk Dong garment factory in Atlixco, Mexico met to form an independent union. Their brave decision represents the first step toward winning the right to represent the 800 workers at the Nike supply factory and to bargain collectively on their behalf. The meeting would not have been possible without the support of Nike campaign activists, university students and concerned consumers in the US, Canada and around the world. The campaign successfully pressured Nike to facilitate the reinstatement of hundreds of workers who had been locked out, illegally fired and pressured to resign for participating in a January 9 work stoppage. Thanks to all of you who wrote letters of protest to Nike and Kuk Dong. However, the Kuk Dong workers’ struggle is far from over. The workers must now seek legal registration of their union and, if and when they receive the registration, they must then petition for a union representation election (recuento) to determine which union will own the collective agreement and have the right to negotiate with the employer. The workers are currently “represented” by the FROC-CROC, an “official” union linked to the state government and Mexico’s historical ruling party, the PRI. On February 5-7, the US non-profit code monitoring organization Verité carried out an audit on Nike’s behalf to determine Kuk Dong’s compliance with the Nike code of conduct. This was the third investigation of labour practices at the factory since the January 9 work stoppage. The Verité report confirms most of the findings of earlier investigations by the Worker Rights Consortium (WRC) and Mexican labour lawyer Arturo Alcalde, including the fact that the CROC signed a collective agreement with the company before the factory was in operation and any workers had been hired. According to the Verité report, “18 of 29 workers interviewed reported that the factory does not permit workers to form and join unions of their choice.” It goes on to say: “Most workers at the factory either do not want the CROC as their union or want no union. Only a small number of workers reported that they were satisfied with the CROC.” The report recommends that Nike and Kuk Dong ensure that a free and fair union representation election by secret ballot vote be held at the earliest possible date. Although Nike has responded to pressure by helping to facilitate the return to work of over half the workers who participated in the work stoppage, United Students Against Sweatshops (USAS) reports that several workers continue to be denied the right to return to work, including Santiago Perez, one of the five leaders whose unjust dismissal provoked the work stoppage. Some workers who attempted to return to work on March 25 were told to return next month. Meanwhile new workers continue to be hired. According to USAS, discrimination against independent union supporters at Kuk Dong also continues, and management is openly favouring the CROC. Beginning on March 30, management has been pressuring leaders of the independent union to accept a new status as “trusted employees,” which would remove them from the union bargaining unit. As well, management is openly siding with the CROC by allowing the “official” union to distribute and post flyers attacking the independent union, and to make announcements over the loudspeaker, while denying members of the independent union the right to even discuss their union with other workers during working hours. Members of the independent union also face the threat of more serious retaliation from the CROC and its government allies. The CROC is the same union that recruited thugs to threaten and intimidate workers at the Duro factory in Rio Bravo, who were also seeking an independent union. In that recuento, on March 2, workers were denied a secret ballot vote and forced to verbally declare their vote in front of management, leaders of the CROC and the hired thugs. For that reason, it is extremely important that Nike and Kuk Dong implement Verité’s recommendation that they ensure there is a free and fair, secret ballot union representation vote at the earliest possible date. As the workers' struggle for an independent union moves forward, we'll provide you with updates and information on actions you can take to help them achieve their objective. To access a copy of the Verité report, visit: : http://nikebiz.com 2. NAO REPORT CONFIRMS MEXICO’S FAILURE TO ENFORCE OH&S REGULATIONS The US National Administrative Office (NAO), which hears complaints under the NAFTA labour side agreement, has released a report confirming that Mexican government agencies have failed to adequately enforce its own health and safety regulations at the Custom Trim and Auto Trim factories in Valle Hermoso and Matamoros. The proposed remedy for these violations of the labour side agreement is yet another round of “ministerial consultation.” The Custom Trim NAO hearing is only the latest of a series of hearings under the NAFTA labour side agreement. While NAO hearings have allowed workers from the three countries to raise awareness of labour rights violations, unfortunately, the side agreement has no enforcement teeth, and, to date, the complaints process has produced no real remedies for workers. The complaint was filed in July 2000 by 25 Mexican, US and Canadian labour, religious and human rights organizations, including the MSN. Formerly a Canadian company, based in Waterloo, Ontario, Custom Trim is now owned by the Florida-based Breed Technologies. Where it once employed 1,400 workers in Waterloo, today the factory is closed. To access the NAO report visit: http://www2.dol.gov/dol/ilab/public/programs/nao/main.htm ************************************************************** Maquila Solidarity Network (MSN) / Ethical Trading Action Group (ETAG) / 606 Shaw Street, Toronto Ontario M6G 3L6 / CANADA / Tel: 416-532-8584 / Fax: 416-532-7688 / Web: www.maquilasolidarity.org ......................................... Liberate democracy from corporate control Bob Olsen, Toronto [EMAIL PROTECTED] .......................................... _________________________________________________ KOMINFORM P.O. Box 66 00841 Helsinki Phone +358-40-7177941 Fax +358-9-7591081 http://www.kominf.pp.fi General class struggle news: [EMAIL PROTECTED] subscribe mails to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Geopolitical news: [EMAIL PROTECTED] subscribe: [EMAIL PROTECTED] __________________________________________________
