Venezuela: Solidarity with the workers of INAF, Inveval, Gotcha and MDS

We have received the following appeal from the comrades of FRETECO (Revolutionary front of workers of the occupied factories) in Venezuela. The workers of one of the occupied factories, INAF, are being threatened with eviction from the factory on August 30th by the former boss. Please support workers’ control and sign this resolution!

Yes to workers' control, yes to peasants' control, yes to control by the communal councils!

The revolution must go forward!

  1. No to the eviction of the workers of occupied factory INAF

    The owner of Industria Nacional de Artículos de Ferretería (Inaf) has threatened to evict the workers from the factory on August 30th, 2008. The workers were forced to occupy the factory in August 2006, in order to defend their jobs and their families' livelihoods. The workers were responding to the sabotage of the owner. The workers of Inaf are an example for the working class, nationally and internationally. They have proven that workers can manage the factories and that workers' control is alive as part of the Bolivarian Revolution. Workers' control is a fundamental part of taking the revolution towards genuine socialism.

  2. Yes to restarting production at Inveval

    The workers of Inveval (a company expropriated by the Bolivarian government in 2005) have successfully managed the company under workers control, recovering the whole of the machinery and infrastructure. However they are missing the raw materials (valve bodies) which used to be provided by Acerven (a company that has been shut down since the bosses' lockout in 2003). In order to be able to supply the oil industry with new valves, Acerven must also be expropriated and put to work under workers control.

  3. There are other companies that were also occupied by the workers and are now facing similar difficulties.

    The bosses are sabotaging the country's economy, hoarding basic foodstuffs, closing down companies, making workers redundant, increasing the exploitation of workers, etc.

For all the above reasons we demand:

  1. The expropriation of INAF under workers control in order to build a genuine socialist company.

  2. The expropriation of Acerven under workers control so that Inveval can supply PDVSA with valves.

  3. The expropriation of Transporte MDS under workers control

  4. The expropriation of Franelas Gotcha

We are making a solidarity appeal to Communal Councils, PSUV Battalions, Trade Unions, Peasant Movements, Cooperatives, and revolutionary organisations. We must unite in struggle to take our revolution to socialism.

For the expropriation of Inaf, Acerven, Transporte MDS, Franelas Gotcha, under workers control.

For workers control in the nationalised industries like Sidor, Cementeras Lafarge, Cemex and Holcim, EDC and CANTV.

For the setting up of Factory and Workers Councils.

We must struggle for:

  • Decent living conditions for workers

  • Shortening of the working week

  • Against the exploitation of workers

  • Socialism under the control of the workers and the people

Please sign this resolution and send it to:

President of the Republic drsociales@presidencia.gob.ve
Ministry of Light Industry and Commerce (MILCO) mariruta@gmail.com

With copy to frentecontrolobrero@gmail.com

FRETECO