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Jeans With Justice Struggle Escalates at Lajat factory[Information for this alert comes from Coalition for Justice in the Maquiladoras] * Jeans maker Lajat shuts down factory to avoid a union election The Lajat workers' struggle in Gomez Palacio, Durango Mexico is escalating, and is clearly one of the most significant struggles for workers' rights this year. The solidarity of the workers is growing as is the repression by management and the government. The workers need your help! ***************************************************************** * Recent Developments ***************************************************************** Lajat's Gomez Palacio and Torreon plants made jeans for Mudd Jeans, Levi's, and Aeropostal. Workers at the Gomez Palacio plant have been organizing to protect their jobs, their safety and for a democratic union since January 2005. As they pushed for an election to throw out the corrupt CTM union and get recognition for their own independent union, the Labor Board and Governor increasingly came down strongly on the side of the company and CTM, canceling a union election scheduled for July and rescheduling it for October, questioning the legitimacy of the workers' union, and now, with victory almost assured for the workers, Lajat has announced the closing of the Gomez Palacio plant, blaming it on lack of work. The workers, however, learned there's plenty of work at the Torreon plant, but rather than being transferred to the Gomez-Palacio plant for finishing, which is customary, it is going to a subcontractor. When this happened, all the Gomez-Palacio workers joined the independent union and no one attended a CTM meeting to "explain" the layoff. Instead the workers held a sit-in at the factory. One of the bosses, Fernando Llamas, actually admitted to the workers that "Lajat had a lot of work but not for them because they were troublemakers trying to organize a union." Since a layoff is illegal in Mexico, management cut their wages from about $85 a week to $33, which means dire poverty for the workers. Meanwhile, threats and offers of bribery have escalated against Jesus Garcia, one of the leaders of the workers' coalition. He has received threatening phone calls, saying, "It's better that you leave all of this or something is going to happen to you." Angel Flores, the production manager, told Jesus Garcia that he should negotiate with the Lajat Human Resources Department, and they would be "willing to offer you a considerable amount if you leave everything, otherwise you will not find job again --or something could happen to you." ******************************************************************* The workers of Lajat need international support! TAKE ACTION: 1. Call and Write to Levi's and Mudd Jeans demanding that: 2. Fax a letter to the Labor Board President and the Governor 3. Send your financial support for the organizing expenses of the Lajat
Workers to the office of Coalition for Justice in the Maquiladoras: ******************************************************************* Send to: Emily Chen Michael Kobori
We have recently learned that your supplier, Lajat Manufacturing, is closing their plant in Gomez Palacio, Mexico, for two months, claiming that (Mudd Jeans/Levi's) has reduced the amount of production in its contracts. However, the workers discovered that Lajat is taking the production from the Gomez plant to another factory nearby, Tex-Pant. Fernando Llamas, a Lajat administrator, told the workers that "Yes, there is a lot of work but not for them because they are troublemakers who want to organize a union." It is obvious that the only thing Lajat is doing is trying to avoid the possibility of a union election since the next step in that process is a hearing on October 7. Jesus Garcia, one of the leaders of the workers' coalition, has been receiving phone calls threatening that if he doesn't stop organizing something bad is going to happen to him. In July (Mudd Jeans'/Levi's) lawyer sent CJM members and allies a letter indicating (Mudd Jeans'/Levi's) support for the Lajat workers' freedom of association and promising that (Mudd Jeans/Levi's) would not cancel its contract so long as Lajat honored the workers' right to organize. We expect you to live up to your word and direct Lajat to stop these repressive tactics. Insure the safety of Jesus Garcia, remain neutral in this union election process, and guarantee the workers a democratic process -- an election in a neutral place and with secret ballot. DON'T CUT AND RUN - (Mudd Jeans'/Levi's) reputation is on the line! Sincerely,
Send to: Lic. Francisco Covarrubias
Tenemos conocimiento de que Lajat esta cerrando su planta de Gómez Palacios Durango por dos meses con anuncia de la JCA. También sabemos que las y los trabajadores demandaron el embargo precautorio pero que la JCA hasta el momento no ha iniciado el proceso del embargo. Mientras tanto la gerencia de Lajat ha estado sacando material y los químicos que necesita para procesar el lavado y despintado de la mezclilla. Lajat notificó el lunes 13 a los trabajadores de confianza que estarían suspendidos por dos meses. Los trabajadores descubrieron que Lajat está llevando la producción que le corresponde a la planta de Gómez a la planta de Tex Pant. Los trabajadores descubrieron que los argumentos de la falta de contratos de Lajat no es otra cosa que evadir las elecciones por el recuento sindical por el contrato colectivo de trabajo. Además, Jesús García, uno de los miembros de la coalición de trabajadores, ha recibido llamadas telefónicas amenazantes e intimidaciones. Por lo tanto, le exigimos que actué conforme a derecho y se respete el derecho de la libre sindicalización de a las y los trabajadores de Lajat. Fecha para el recuento sindical en un lugar neutral y con voto secreto o en su defecto la fecha el embargo precautorio y/o que las y los trabajadores sean indemnizados de acuerdo con el art. 439 de la LFT. Atentamente, CP: Gobernador de Durango Estimado Sr. Gobernador Hernández Deraz: Tenemos conocimiento de que Lajat esta cerrando su planta de Gómez Palacios Durango por dos meses con anuncia de la JCA. También sabemos que las y los trabajadores demandaron el embargo precautorio pero que la JCA hasta el momento no ha iniciado el proceso del embargo. Mientras tanto la gerencia de Lajat ha estado sacando material y los químicos que necesita para procesar el lavado y despintado de la mezclilla. Lajat notifico el lunes 13 a los trabajadores de confianza que estarían suspendidos por dos meses. Los trabajadores descubrieron que Lajat está llevando la producción que le corresponde a la planta de Gómez a la planta de Tex Pant. Los trabajadores descubrieron que los argumentos de la falta de contratos de Lajat no es otra cosa que evadir las elecciones por el recuento sindical por el contrato colectivo de trabajo. Además, Jesús García, uno de los miembros de la coalición de trabajadores, ha recibido llamadas telefónicas amenazantes e intimidaciones. También tenemos conocimiento que el día 14 de Septiembre los trabajadores le abordaron a Ud. durante su gira por Gómez Palacio. Su gobierno ha hablado de una transparencia y procesos democráticos que en el caso de las y los trabajadores de Lajat la transparencia no se ha ejercitado. Por lo tanto, le exigimos que intervenga para que le presidente de la JCA actué conforme a derecho y se respete el derecho de la libre sindicalización de a las y los trabajadores de Lajat, que les concedan inmediatamente la fecha para el recuento sindical en un lugar neutral y con voto secreto. O, en su defecto, les fijen la fecha el embargo precautorio y/o que las y los trabajadores sean indemnizados de acuerdo con el art. 439 de la LFT Atentamente, ------------------------------------------------------ Summary of letters in English: We also are aware that the workers approached the Governor during his tour of Gomez Palacio, and though he has spoken of transparency and democratic processes, these are clearly lacking in this situation. We ask that you intervene so that the CAB will respect the right of freedom of association of the Lajat workers and immediately set a date for a union election, in a neutral location and with a secret ballot. Or, alternatively, set a date for the embargo of the factory's assets and ensure that the workers receive their severance pay in conformance with Mexican law. ***************************************************************** Chronology and Background Information: After the CAB moved the date for the election in the Gomez-Palacio plant [which was originally set for July 29] to October 7, the company went on the attack, conspiring with the CTM "charro" or company union. The CTM called a meeting on September 2 to inform the workers about their agreement with Lajat. None of the workers attended the meeting, because they said they do not recognize the CTM as their union. However, the CTM and Lajat announced that Lajat was closing the plant for two months. It seemed this was in order to avoid the union election scheduled for October 7, even though workers were told that the plant was closing because there was no raw material for the assembly lines. On September 5 all the workers went to work and they took over the floor saying that Lajat was lying because they knew there was a lot of work and that nobody would move them from their jobs. Then the company told them that they can still come to work but because there is no production they will only pay them 350 pesos [33 dollars] a week instead of the 800 pesos [76 dollars] that they were making. September 6 and 7 workers investigated by meeting with workers from the Torreon plant and found out that they had a lot of work. In fact there were mountains of wooden pallets with jeans waiting to be sent for finishing or to be sent for export to Levi's and Mudd Jeans. Instead of taking the production from Torreon to be finished in their plant in Gomez, as they had in the past, Lajat was now taking the production from the plant in Torreon to another plant named Tex- Pant, located a block away from the plant in Gomez. The workers at Torreon said that it was not true that Lajat did not have contracts, and as proof they gave them a copy of the production report for the last two weeks that confirmed the Tex-Pant Company was being used as a subcontractor and the production for the Gomez plant was sent there. The Lajat Gomez workers met with the workers of Tex-Pant and the Tex-Pant workers told them that they were finishing jeans with the brand names Aeropostal and Mudd Jeans. On September 6 workers presented a complaint to the CAB asking for the "embargo precautorio" to hold the assets of the company as a guarantee that Lajat will not cut and run without paying workers the severance payment guaranteed them according the Mexican Law. Workers protested in the CAB on September 8 demanding that the CAB give them a date for the "embargo," the control over the assets of the company. The lawyer Felipe del Rivero, the governor's representative, called for a meeting with all the parties involved in the conflict on September 9. Present at the meeting were the Lajat workers, the president of the CAB (Francisco Cobarruvias), the lawyer (Felipe del Rivero) and the governor's representative, as well as Martha Ojeda (CJM Executive Director), and Fernando Lopez of CJM of La Laguna region. The workers requested that the representative of the company should be somebody with decision-making power, so Javier Lara and Ignacio Salcido came. Javier Lara said he was an accountant and the corporate director of Lajat; he mentioned that his position was above Oscar Gonzales, the President of Lajat, and as such he had the decision-making power. The Lajat workers explained the problem, including Lajat's recent removal
of production from the Gomez plant to the Tex-Pant company, and they
presented two proposals: 1] Jobs with dignity, the right to organize,
an election to be held in a neutral place and with secret ballot. 2]
If Lajat did not agree to the first point, then the CAB has to give
them the date for the "embargo" of the company's assets to
guarantee their severance payment in accordance with Art. 439, of the
Mexican Labor Law. Javier Lara argued that Lajat did not have work for
them because Levi's and Mudd Jeans reduced their contracts and that
was the reason they had to close the plant for two months. He said that
it was not true that Lajat was taking the production to Tex-Pant and
that the workers had to prove it and moreover it offended him that they
said this. After hours of discussion the only agreement reached was that the company will pay workers 500 pesos [50 dollars] instead of the 350. The company requested to meet again in two weeks. On September 10 the company tried to remove the Clorox, tints, and peroxide from the Gomez plant, items they need for the stonewashing process, and took them to other plants. But the workers stopped them and wouldn't let them do it. The workers did their own inventory, taking the identification numbers of machines, chemicals, computers, desks, tables, etc., and developed a schedule to take inventory and guard the machines and the material of the plant. On September 13 Lajat called all the technicians and mechanics, telling them they will be suspended for two months because they were on the side of the workers' coalition. That night somebody tried to enter the house of Jesus Garcia in the middle of the night, threatening him by saying, "It is better that you are not be involved any more in the Lajat struggle or you will remember forever what is going to happen to you." The owners of Lajat Manufacturing are the five Bellos brothers. They employ 12,000 workers in several plants in the states of Durango and Coahuila. The profits have been so good that the Bellos built themselves an exclusive country club and golf course in Torreon, Coahuila which is depleting local water supplies of the increasingly arid Lakes (Laguna) Region of north-central Mexico. On Mexican Independence Day - September 15th, the Bellos invited the Laguna Region's high society to celebrate with a Mexican dinner. To their surprise guests were greeted at the gate of the golf club by workers from their Gomez Palacio Lajat plant. The workers gave flyers to the arriving guests who asked a lot questions about the problem. Some of them said that the Bellos always boasted that their workers had good salaries and working conditions. The workers told them the truth. Javier Lara, a Lajat director, tried to get the workers to leave, offered to meet the next day, but the workers stayed for almost three hours until police were called. Then, with many guests hanging around, the workers refused to move, claiming their constitutional rights of freedom of speech and association and denouncing the Bellos for first taking over farmers' lands for the golf course, and now taking workers' jobs with their false plant closing. With the support of even the bus drivers who had brought the workers there, the workers held firm, and in the end the police left. On September 14th the workers learned that the Governor of Durango, Ismael Hernandez Deraz, was visiting the Laguna Region and they decided to intercept him. They shared with him the problem at the Lajat plant in Gomez and demanded "jobs with dignity, the right to organize and protection for their co-workers." On September 19th workers will go to Mexico City to request the support of national unions like the National Workers Union (UNT), the Mexican Electrical Workers (SME), and the heathcare workers of the IMSS union to organize a public forum in support of freedom of the association in Gomez Palacio on Friday September 30. To read past alerts from the Jeans with Justice campaign, go to http://www.campaignforlaborrights.org/alerts/2005/aug08-election.htm For more background information on the Jeans with Justice Campaign for the Lajat workers, visit the Coalition for Justice in the Maquiladoras.
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