The attacks against the workers of Mitsubishi Motor Company (MMC) in Barcelona, Anzoategui, in Venezuela, and their union organisation, have started again. We appeal to you to take part in the protest campaign.

As you can see in the interview with Felix Martinez, general secretary of Singetram, the attacks against the workers of Mitsubishi Motor Company (MMC) in Barcelona, Anzoategui, in Venezuela, and their union organisation, have started again.

In January this year, MMC workers fought a courageous struggle to defend the jobs and conditions of a group of subcontracted workers which the company, illegally, wanted to dismiss. The struggle led to a two month long occupation of the plant and during the movement two workers were killed by the regional police when resisting an attempt to evict them. As a result of that struggle, which ended in a partial victory, and of the militant methods that they used, the Mitsubishi workers and their union became a point of reference for other workers in Anzoategui, in the car industry and throughout the Venezuelan trade union movement in general.

The company made another attempt to break the workers’ resolve and smash the union in September by declaring a lock out. They said that the union leaders were troublemakers with whom they could not deal and that as a result they would close the plant permanently. Once again, Singetram organised a model campaign involving the local communities and workers throughout the state of Anzoategui and finally on September 21 the plant restarted operations.

However, on the same day, management announced dismissal proceedings against 156 workers, including 11 against the members of the union’s executive committee. This is a clear attempt to break the union and the workers’ resolve to struggle. The union leaders are all Bolivarian and members of the PSUV. Unfortunately the Ministry of Labour has accepted the dismissal proceedings against the 11 union leaders without even listening to the workers. Singetram has organised a campaign in Venezuela while at the same time making an appeal for international solidarity. We call on trade unionists to sign the letter and send it to the Minister of Labour.

Please send the following letter and also sign the appeal online.

(Please send the letter in Spanish, English version below for information)

No al acoso contra los trabajadores de MMC automotriz.

A la atención de la Ministro del Poder Popular para el Trabajo

Sr. María Cristina Iglesias.

Por la presente queremos hacerle partícipe de nuestra inquietud ante la situación que desde comienzos de año están atravesando los trabajadores de MMC automotriz, en Barcelona estado Anzoátegui. Estos trabajadores a través de su sindicato SINGETRAM, que afilia a la mayor parte de los obreros de la planta ha venido realizando una labor exitosa en la defensa de los intereses de los trabajadores contra la explotación de esta multinacional luchando dentro de la legalidad por la defensa de las leyes venezolanas que amparan a los mismos, y que esta multinacional incumple sistemáticamente. Por ejemplo, en el terreno de la salud laboral, defendiendo el empleo y mejoras de los más de 500 trabajadores enfermos por las malas condiciones de trabajo que impone la multinacional. Este sindicato bolivariano pertenece al Frente de trabajadores socialistas, sus dirigentes son militantes del PSUV y firmes seguidores del Presidente Chávez.

La actitud de la empresa frente a esta posición de los trabajadores ha sido intentar romper su resistencia, con cierres patronales, amenazas y despidos. Funcionarios de policía corruptos, actuando a favor de la empresa, asesinaron a dos trabajadores en un intento de desalojo judicial de la planta el pasado mes de enero. La gerencia de esta multinacional ha creado un estado de opinión en el estado Anzoátegui respecto a que estos trabajadores son violentos o radicales cosa que es completamente falsa, estos trabajadores han cumplido todos los procedimientos que marca la ley. Se trata de poner a las victimas cómo verdugos . Usted sabe muy bien que esta manera de actuar es la propia de los golpistas de 11 de abril intentando criminalizar al pueblo y sus dirigentes que reclaman sus derechos para poder romper su resistencia y justificar medidas en su contra.

De todos es conocido en su trayectoria política la promoción de la idea de que los trabajadores deben jugar un papel protagonista en la revolución venezolana. Con ese fin, le solicitamos que interceda por estos trabajadores para impedir que las multinacionales que van a suelo venezolano se crean con el derecho a esclavizar a los mismos y atropellarlos cuando considera oportuno.

Recientemente ha llegado a nuestro conocimiento la aceptación por parte de su ministerio de 11 calificaciones de despido para dirigentes de SINGETRAM a petición de la gerencia de MMC justo el día en que se reabría la planta tras un cierre patronal. Ante este nuevo atropello le solicitamos la retirada de estas calificaciones de despido y que ponga los medios para terminar con el acoso al que están sometidos por parte de esta multinacional.

¡Basta de acoso a los trabajadores de MMC automotriz¡

¡No a las calificaciones de despido de 11 directivos sindicales¡

Reciba un saludo compañero.

Los abajo firmantes:
..............................

Enviar esta resolución a:

Ministro del trabajo, Maria Cristina iglesias: mariacristina_iglesias@hotmail.com

Con copia a:
Viceministro del trabajo, Elio Colmenares: elio.colmenarez@mintra.gov.ve
Viceministro del trabajo, Ricardo Dorado: r.dorado@mintra.gov.ve

Con copia a:
sindicatonuevageneracion@gmail.com
frentecontrolobrero@gmail.com

No harassment against Mitsubishi Motor Company workers

FAO of the Minister of Peoples Power for Labour

Sra María Cristina Iglesias,

We would like to express our concern about the situation which the workers of MMC have been facing since the beginning of the year, in Barcelona, Anzoategui. These workers, through their union Singetram, which organises the majority of the workforce, have been successful in defending the rights of the workers against the multinational. This struggle has been conducted by legal means and within the framework of the Venezuelan laws which defend them, and which the multinational is constantly violating. For instance, regarding health and safety, they have defended the jobs and improvements in the conditions of more than 500 workers who are suffering from workplace injuries as a result of the dangerous working conditions imposed by the multinational. This trade union organisation, which is a Bolivarian union, is part of the Socialist Workers’ Front, and its leaders are members of the PSUV and followers of president Chavez.

The attitude of the company has been to try to break the workers’ resistance, through lock outs, threats and sackings. Corrupt police officers at the service of the company, killed two workers in January, when attempting to evict the workers from the premises. The management of this company has orchestrated a slanderous campaign in Anzoategui saying that these workers are violent or radical, something which is false. These workers have always followed the procedures established by law. The victims are being presented as the aggressors. As you know very well, this was the behaviour of the coup plotters on April 11, attempting to criminalize the people and their leaders, in order to break their movement and justify repression.

It is a matter of public record that you have always defended the idea that the workers must play a key role in the Venezuelan revolution. With this aim, we call on you to intervene in favour of these workers to prevent the multinational from trampling over workers’ rights.

Recently we have learnt that your ministry has accepted 11 sacking procedures against leaders of Singetram at the request of MMC management, precisely on the same date in which they reopened the plant after the lock out. Faced with this new attack we ask you to withdraw these procedures and to help put an end to the harassment of the workers on the part of this multinational.

No harassment against MMC workers!

No sacking of 11 trade union leaders!

Yours in solidarity,
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Send this letter of solidarity to

Minister of Labour, Maria Cristina Iglesias: mariacristina_iglesias@hotmail.com

With copy to
Vice Minister of Labour, Elio Colmenares: elio.colmenarez@mintra.gov.ve
Vice Minister of Labour, Ricardo Dorado: r.dorado@mintra.gov.ve

And to
sindicatonuevageneracion@gmail.com
frentecontrolobrero@gmail.com