Dear comrades,

We have received information about the struggle of the Daewoo workers in Vitoria (Spain). They have been out on strike since July 19, 1999 in a bitter struggle against casualisation and for decent wages and conditions. Last Thursday a 2000 strong demonstration took place in Vitoria with workers from the factory and others showing solidarity. This is quite an important dispute in Spain where a third of all jobs are now on casual basis. After two months of strike the workers are beginning to feel the pressure of the lack of money. The shop stewards committee has issued an appeal for donations and solidarity messages to be sent to the striking workers. In the first days they have already collected £5000 from trade union branches in the province and more is coming. They have also got a solidarity message from the 160,000 member Korean Metal Workers Federation. The Students Union has called a students strike in the province for October 7th.

We enclose the appeal from the shop stewards committee which has been sent to 500 shop stewards committees all over Spain. Please spread the news as widely as possible.

Comradely,

La Red Obrera
laredobrera@socappeal.easynet.co.uk

Comrades,

The shop stewards committee of Daewoo (Vitoria) wants to make an appeal for solidarity and help in order to maintain our trade union struggle.

We are fighting to improve our wages, which are currently not enough at about 100,000 ptas a months (400 pounds). To put an end to casualisation (45% of the workforce has short term contracts). The improvement of health and safety conditions, productivity requirements, etc in order to level them out with the generalconditions in the domestic appliances sector.

The company, despite making huge profits does not want to talk to us. We have been on strike since July 19 and it is increasingly clear that we need financial help from other workers. Many of us have families and some have to travel daily from Ayala andMiranda de Ebro in order to participate in the picket line. This is already quite costly when we are working, even more so now that we are on strike. In order to avoid the company defeating us for lack of funds we have established a hardship fund. We are also calling a number of demonstrations in support of our struggle to force the company to satisfy our demands.

This dispute is not only ours. Daewoo is a flagship company for a new kind of company based on low wages, using temporary work agencies, casualisation, a very strict disciplinary regime, and the negation of our social rights. That is the case in an increasing number of other companies. That is why a victory for us on wages, conditions, casualisation, will also be a victory for workers all over the country.

To achieve these aims we need your support, sending solidarity faxes and emails, organising workplace collections, collecting funds and sending them to:

CAJA VITAL CUENTA NúMERO: 2097.0140.14.0008199119

Send solidarity messages to:

pedro.abellan@clientes.euskaltel.es

FAX. + (34) 945 231202

Comradely,

Shop Stewards Committee Daewoo Vitoria