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Urgent Action Alert: Union-busting at the CODEVI Free Trade ZoneHaiti rebel army already using weapons in bosses' defense!Friday, March 05, 2004 Ouanaminthe, Haiti On Monday March 2nd, 2004, 34 members of the trade union SOKOWA (Sendika Ouvriye Kodevi Wanament - Ouanaminthe Codevi Workers' Union) in the Codevi Free Trade Zone in Ouanaminthe, Haiti, were brutalized and illegally fired by the company's management and told to come take their paychecks next Monday, March 8th. These firings were accompanied by many threats at gunpoint, as well as physical abuse. This situation followed a tumultuous two weeks in Haiti, rocked by political events and at the Ouanaminthe free trade zone: -On Feb. 16th, the new trade union handed management a letter in which they informed it of the union's existence and requested a meeting to discuss factory matters. On the same day, Limbert Cruz, the Codevi Free Trade Zone Director, answered the letter, saying that management's doors were always opened for the workers organization, and their agreement to meet with the union at any convenient date and place. (The union would meet later concerning this letter and prepare an answer Feb. 26th, suggesting March 1st for this meeting) -On Wednesday, February 25th, a few workers were informally discussing things with members of management (Jean Renaud, Luis and Jean Philippe) when, following a complaint by one of the unionists, Ariel Jerome, the latter was informed that he was fired. Protesting, he was violently beaten up with rifle butts and forced to give up his work badge. -Thursday, Feb. 26th, all of the factory workers stopped working in protest, demanding Ariel Jerome's re-hiring at work, medical treatment, as well as the firing of the two main management persons responsible: Jean Renaud and Borgella. Limbert Cruz came out to talk to them and agreed to cancel the firing and take care of the abused worker's health. Indeed, Jerome was give his badge back and sent to the health center for tests and medication. Cruz, however, added that he needed to consult about the issue of the two managers. -No response to the question of the two managers was forthcoming. Quite the contrary, on Monday morning (March 1st), Jean Renaud passed throughout the factory, line by line, informing the workers that Levi Strauss was withdrawing its orders, because, amongst other reasons, the workers' work-stoppages meant that the business was suffering and consequently they needed to get rid of workers. Rumor had it that he said before losing his job, he would make many workers lose their jobs. Monday afternoon, Renaud called all of the union members and, with much pressure, informed them they were fired. Dominican military (Ouanaminthe is on the border between Haiti and the Dominican Republic) pointed their weapons at the workers and seized their badges. Several were roughed up. All in all, 34 were fired, all union members. The workers resolved to stop working on Tuesday, in protest. -On Tuesday, March 3rd, all of the workers were mobilized to protest the firings. All of a sudden, members of the rebel army at Ouanaminthe arrived, with guns, to rough up the workers. Several workers were handcuffed. After much mistreatment and threats, they were forced to resume work. Later, the rebels revealed that they had been contacted the previous evening by factory management who informed them that the workers were going to make problems at work the next day. Management even gave them a list of union members that they were to get rid of. It is possible that more firings have occurred this morning, Wednesday March 3, 2004, as the workers are determined to mobilize in order to counteract management's arbitrary and unjust actions. Batay Ouvriye is urgently soliciting each and everyone's input to support our effort to force Dominican free trade zone operator Grupo M to reverse its decision before next Monday, especially as all government offices (Labor Bureau, Justice.) in Ouanaminthe continue to be closed. Please write to: -Grupo M Ask for the re-hiring of the fired workers, respect for their right to organize a union, and for medical attention to those workers who were beaten up. -Levi-Strauss Ask Levi-Strauss to insist that their contractor comply with internationally recognized workers' rights, most especially the right to organize a union and bargain collectively. -The World Bank's International Finance Corporation Remind the World Bank that its recent IFC loan to Grupo M included the obligation to respect freedom of association and the right to collective bargaining as a loan condition and tell the Bank that recent actions by Grupo M in Ouanaminthe are in violation of the loan agreement. Please let Campaign for Labor Rights know if you receive a response
from any of your letters! |
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