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Salvadoran Workers Call for Solidarity Against Union-Busting!Posted July 5, 2003 TAKE ACTION!Fax or email the Salvadoran Government and Embassy, demanding that the Minister of Labor defend the right of workers to organize! BACKGROUNDFrom Committee in Solidarity with the People of El Salvador (CISPES): Salvadoran Government Denies Communications Workers the Right to Organize The Salvadoran Ministry of Labor has blocked the formation of a union of communications workers, denying thousands of workers their constitutional right to organize. Now, rank-and-file activists fear that they will be targeted for firings. They call on international solidarity to prevent union-busting and firings! On March 23, 2003, workers from across the communications industry came together to celebrate the formation of the Industrial Union of Communications Workers (SITCOM). For the first time in Salvadoran history, the new union will bring together workers from the different fixed- and cellular-phone companies, internet companies, radio and TV stations, and even newspapers into one unified organization. SITCOM leaders see their union as a "social-movement union," fighting for the rights of communications users as well as workers. They seek to work together with the opposition FMLN party to fight further privatizations in the communications industry, and to revise the privatizations that have already taken place. But the Salvadoran government has blocked the union at every step, refusing to legally recognize them. The Ministry of Labor issued a proclamation invalidating the formation of the union, specifying only technical reasons. Moreover, Minister of Labor Jorge Nieto has refused union leaders' repeated demands for a meeting. Now, the Salvadoran government has released the secret list of workers who signed the documents of incorporation, and these same workers fear that they could be fired for supporting the union. Communications workers have begun a campaign to pressure the Ministry of Labor into recognizing their constitutional right to organize, and seek the support of solidarity activists in the US. With CAFTA free trade negotiations between the US and Central America now in their sixth month, we can use our leverage to demand recognition for the SITCOM union. A victory for Salvadoran workers is a victory against CAFTA! TAKE ACTION NOW!1. Send faxes (011.503.263.5280) or emails (informacion@mtps.gob.sv)to Salvadoran Minister of Labor Jorge Nieto (sample letter in Spanish below) to demand that he:
2. Fax or email Philip French, acting head of the US Embassy is El Salvador, and tell him to convey your demands to the Salvadoran government! fax: 011.503.278.6011; email: congensansal@state.gov 3. Donate to the Emergency Fund! Salvadoran workers need money to continue their fight! Make tax-deductible checks out to "CISPES Education Fund," with "Emergency Fund" marked in the memo line, and send to: 130 W. 29th St, 9th Fl, NYC, NY 10001. Or call in a credit card donation at (212) 465-8115, press '0'. 100% of all funds go directly to support the Salvadoran workers' struggle. 4. Let CLR know if you took action on this campaign, so that we can let CISPES, US/LEAP, and our supporters know how many people took action to support the ongoing struggle to form independent unions in El Salvador and the rest of the world! Email organize@clrlabor.org, or fax 202 232 5035 (please call first: 202 232 5002). ---Sample letter to Jorge Nieto, Minister of Labor---Lic. Jorge I. Nieto Estimado Lic. Nieto: Me dirijo a usted con suma preocupación debido a la grave crisis en el sector laboral que vive El Salvador en estos momentos. Se me ha informado de que Ud. haya rechazado la conformación del Sindicato de Industria de Trabajadores de las Comunicaciones (SITCOM), alegando problemas de carácter técnicos. La Constitución de la República otorga a cada trabajador el derecho de la libre organización, asimismo el Código de Trabajo le responsabiliza a Ud. como Ministro de Trabajo el garantizar el pleno ejercicio de tal derecho. Sin embargo, en no reconocer el sindicato, Ud. viola de manera arbitraria este derecho sagrado, en perjuicio de miles de trabajadores de comunicaciones que podrían afiliarse con el sindicato. Hasta el momento, Ud. ni siquiera ha concedido una reunión con los dirigentes del SITCOM, violando su derecho constitucional de audiencia pública. Este actitud preponderante contradice completamente su responsabilidad legal de defender los derechos laborales de los trabajadores Salvadoreños. Me pondré en contacto con mi representante dentro del Congreso de los Estados Unidos para informarle de su intransigencia y demandarle que no firme un Tratado de Libre Comercio (TLC) debido a los constantes violaciones a los derechos laborales en El Salvador. Por todo lo anterior, le demando:
Continuaré dando monitoreo a la situación en El Salvador y mantendré informado a mi congresista del desarrollo de la crisis laboral, especialmente en estos momentos donde ambos gobiernos buscan concretizar un Tratado de Libre Comercio. Atentamente, (English translation of letter; please do not send out the English version)Lic. Jorge I. Nieto Dear Minister Nieto, I write to you with concern due to the grave labor crisis in El Salvador. I have been informed that you rejected the formation of the Industrial Union of Communications Workers (SITCOM), claiming technical problems. The Constitution grants every workers the right to organize, and Salvadoran labor law holds the Minister of Labor responsible for guaranteeing the free exercise of this right. However, by not recognizing the union, you arbitrarily violate this sacred right, with negative consequences for thousands of communications workers who could join the union. Until now, you have not even agreed to meet with union representatives, violating their right to a public audience. This attitude contradicts your legal responsibility to defend the labor rights of Salvadoran workers. I will be in contact with my Congressional representatives to inform them of the systematic violation of labor rights in El Salvador, and I will demand that they not sign a Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA) for this reason. I demand that you: 1. Recognize the SITCOM communications union immediately. I will continue to monitor the situation in El Salvador and I will keep my Congressional representatives informed of the labor crisis, especially now that both governments seek to sign a Free Trade Agreement. Sincerely, |
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