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On a recent trip to Argentina, Lydia Sargent and I had the pleasure and honor of staying at the workers operated Hotel Bauen. This institution is impotant for the workers whose lives are improved by its humane operations, for the people who stay there and benefit from living - however briefly - in a just environment, and for the factory occupation movement throughout Argentina and Latin America, both as a center that hosts gatherings and meetings, and as a symbol of accomplishments and aims. The workers of Hotel Bauen need help. Which means the movement in Buenos Aires, in Argentina, in Latin America, and in the world, needs help. Below is their request. I hope we who use ZNet, and thus learn of this request, honor it. Michael Albert --- EMAIL FLOOD PLANNED FOR THURSDAY, DEC. 15 TO SAVE THE BAUEN! Please forward widely, and send the email at the bottom on THURSDAY, DEC.15 We are looking for a huge, international flood on Thursday, but email after that date will still help! BACKGROUND At 2 a.m. on Wednesday December 6, the Buenos Aires city Legislature passed a law that will in effect evict the workers' cooperative at the Hotel Bauen. This law, which was voted on by 29 legislators, ³invents² a boss for a workplace without bosses. When the workers decided to occupy the hotel to demand their unpaid salaries, the Hotel Bauen was bankrupt and the company had millions of dollars in debt, among them, the cost of the building located at 360 Callao. As the ownership of the building was in dispute (the person who had bought the building paid only 4 of the 12 million peso price, and the person who sold it promised to return the 4 million and never came through) the hotel was legally without anyone to take care of it. So the workers decided to put it back into operation. They started to work with nothing but the strength of their conviction. Now there are 140 men and women who maintain the hotel, 24 hours a day, opening a space for meetings, assemblies and social movement events, all entirely out of solidarity. Ignoring all of their efforts, the Legisture decided to approve a law that ignores the dictates of justice and attempts to destroy all of the work that the cooperative has put into the hotel. Despite the workers' protest at the time of the vote, the legislators ordered their eviction. They threw them out with batons and tear gas. Now, the workers demand that the head of the Buenos Aires city government< Jorge Telerman, veto the law. The veto must take place within 15 days of when the law was passed. If Mr. Telerman does not veto the law, the workers may be evicted. ACTION Next Thursday December 15th at 2pm, the workers at the Hotel Bauen are marching to Jorge Telerman's office to demand that this law be annulled. To support the Bauen workers cooperative, we are asking that you email the message below ON THURSDAY to this email address: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Señor Jorge Telerman: Hoy el destino del Hotel Bauen, recuperado por sus trabajadores, está en sus manos. Miles de personas en el mundo lo están mirando. Vete la ley que consagra la impunidad de los empresarios inescrupulosos y apoye a los 140 hombres y mujeres que todos los días están demostrando cómo construir trabajo digno en ese espacio que es modelo de eficiencia y solidaridad. TRANSLATION: Mister Jorge Telerman: Today the destiny of the Hotel Bauen, recovered by its workers, is in your hands. Thousands of people all over the world are watching. VETO the law that creates impunity for the unscrupulous impresarios and support the 140 men and women that each day show how to create dignified work in this place that is a model of efficiency and solidarity. AND IF YOU HAVEN'T ALREADY.... Sign the petition in support of the Hotel Bauen workers! <http://www.petitiononline.com/bauen/petition.html> The petition will be submitted as part of the campaign. ===================================This message has been brought to you by ZNet (http://www.zmag.org). Visit our site for subscription options.
