URGENT!!! POLICE VIOLENCE AGAINST DURO WORKERS

Please forward to interested parties and send faxes in support of the workers at Duro to the following locations:

Governor Tomas Yerrington Rubalcaba
Fax: (52)-1-318-8701

President Ernesto Zedillo de Leon
Fax: (52)-5-516-5762

Charles Schor, Executive Manager, Duro Bag Manufacturing
Fax: (1)-606-581-8327

IMMEDIATE ACTION IS NEEDED!!

POLICE ARRIVE IN THE EARLY MORNING, THREATENING WORKERS WITH MACHINE GUNS AND BEATING THEM

SEND YOUR FAX IMMEDIATELY!! CALL THE GOVERNOR FIRST THING IN THE MORNING!! ENDING THE VIOLENCE AND ARRESTS OF WORKERS DEPENDS ON YOUR SUPPORT!

At 8:00 PM Sunday night Duro workers hung strike banners with the objective of establishing their own union. By 1:15 AM thirteen police patrols arrived at the factory, surprising the workers gathered in the streets who were guarding the strike. The police began the repression against the workers by cocking their pistols and R15 machine guns and insisting that the workers leave. When the workers resisted these threats, the police attacked them. Five workers were beaten, four of them women. One of the injured women is eight months pregnant and she has been hospitalized. Mark Horowitz, an international observer who was present at the scene, was arrested. When the workers asked the police what the charges against Horowitz were, they said he was not arrested but was only being detained for interrogation. When the workers asked the police chief to identify himself, he refused.

Later when the police tried to arrest some of the workers, one woman worker confronted them and told them that the federal police department and the governor know about the situation at Duro and that the workers already have scheduled an appointment with the governor. (Finally the workers do have an appointment with the governor who they are scheduled to meet on Tuesday at 1:00 PM.)

With the protection of the police, the company tried to remove the buses from the parking lot in order to be able to transport the workers for the first shift at 6:00 AM, but the workers blocked them.

These events demonstrate that when workers try to enforce their constitutional rights the police attack them because the police are under orders from the corporate state. Indeed, the Mexican government has given the corporations the guarantee that they can rely on police protection.

It is urgent that you send letters to Governor Yarrington and to President Zedillo to protest this outrageous violation of workers' rights under the Mexican constitution. In two weeks the presidential elections in Mexico will take place and it is urgent to take advantage of this political opening. Send your faxes, e-mails, and phone calls demanding justice for the workers!

Please write

the Governor Tomas Yerrington Rubalcaba
Gobernador, Estado de Tamulipas
Tel: 01152 (1) 312-1144
Fax: 01152 (1) 312-3492

Web page (from which you can send an email, but a fax is more likely to get attention more quickly): http://www.tamaulipas.gob.mx/gobernador/contacto.htm

To the Governor Tomas Yerrington Rubalcaba Gobernador, Estado de Tamulipas
Tel: 01152 (1) 312-1144
Fax: 01152 (1) 312-3492

cc: Presidente Ernesto Zedillo de Leon
Fax: 011 52-(5) 516-5762

Sr. Gobernador;

Le escribimos para darle a conocer que la situacion en la maquiladora Duro en Río Bravo, Tamaulipas esta muy grave. 13 patrullas de la policía local y judicial llegaron en la madrugada sorprendiendo y golpeando a los trabajadores que estaban pacíficamente haciendo guardia en su huelga. La policía los esta amenazando con pistolas y ametralladoras. 5 trabajadoras y trabajadores fueron golpeados. Una de ellas esta embarazada.

En sus manos esta detener la violencia contra los trabajadores de Duro. Lo único que buscan los trabajadores de Duro es formar su propio sindicato, un derecho basico de todos los trabajadores.

Solicitamos que se respeten las derechos humanos y constitucionales de los trabajadores de Duro, y se les otorgue el registro sindical en su empresa. Le solicitamos que intervenga inmediatamente para detener la violencia en contra de los trabajadores. El respeto al proceso democratico esta en sus manos.

Atentamente,
[Your name]

(translation)

Dear Mr. Governor:

We are aware of what is happening with the workers from the Duro factory in Rio Bravo Tamaulipas. As you may know by now, thirteen police patrols arrived in the early morning Monday, surprising the workers who were peacefully guarding the strike. The police threatened them with pistols and machine guns. Five workers were beaten, among them one pregnant woman worker. It's in your hands to stop the violence against the Duro workers. The only thing the workers want is to form a union at the company where they work. We ask that you protect their safety as individuals, guarantee their constitutional right to free association, and intervene to insure that the registration for their own union at the company be granted.

Sincerely,

Send the above letter to

President Zedillo:
Ernesto Zedillo de Leon
Fax: 011 52- (5) 515-5792 0 (5) 516-5762
Email: dmelo@presidencia.gob.mx

To Duro:
Charles Shor
Executive Manager
Duro Bag Manufacturing
Ludlow, Kentucky
Tel: 1-800-879-3876; 606-581-8200
Fax: 606-581-8327

Dear Mr. Shor;

I am writing regarding the situation at your plant in Rio Bravo, Mexico.
Early this morning police arrived at your behest to break up a strike. They threatened workers with machine guns and beat several of them, including one pregnant woman who is now hospitalized. One international observer has been arrested. Obviously this violence and repression of workers who are peacefully acting within their constitutional rights leaves a stigma on your company.

You have the responsibility to recognize the workers' right to a union of their own choosing. Taking action to stop the violence will support the rights of the workers and demonstrate that you are opposed to human rights violations in Mexico. On behalf of Transnationals Information Exchange, I urge you to act quickly, decisively and morally in this matter.

Sincerely,
[Your Name]

Please send copies of your faxes to:

The Coalition for Justice in the Maquiladoras
Fax: 210-732-8324
email: cjm@igc.org

The Duro workers are in dire need of support for food and other necessities. Send donations to the following bank account:

Broadway National Bank, San Antonio, Texas Branch
Coalition for Justice in the Maquiladoras Emergency Support Fund,
Acct # 0382167
Routing #114021933
Checks can be mailed to CJM at 530 Bandera Road, San Antonio, TX 78228

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