Duro Workers Win Union Registration and the Struggle Gains Strength!!

August 11, 2000

"We are not giving you the registration because of international pressure, but rather because the governor wants to help the workers."

These were the words of the Director of Labor to Eliud Almaguer, when they gave him the registration for his union in Duro Manufacturing.

The political pressure giving rise to the International Public Forum for Freedom of Association in Raynosa, Tamaulipas on Monday August 14 finally forced the governor to concede the union registration to the Duro workers in Rio Bravo. This is a historic accomplishment because it is the first union registration obtained though a genuine movement of maquila workers in the state of Tamaulipas.

Thursday August 10 Eliud Almaguer, the leader of the workers, received a visit from the office of the governor who wanted to know what would be the objective of a public forum and who was organizing it. Eliud informed them that organizations from Mexico City and the US were gathering to speak out in favor of the demands of the workers of the maquilas, specifically in support of the Duro workers, in their struggle for their union registration. A little later Eliud received a citation to appear at the labor department in Ciudad Victoria, the capital of the state, to receive the resolution of the meeting regarding the petition for the union registration for Duro.

Eliud thought that this was just one more trick since the governor was taking a tour of Reynosa and Valle Hermoso and this would prevent the workers from interfering. The workers decided that while Eliud and some other workers went to call on the director of the department of labor in Victoria they would intercept the governor on his tour in order to demand justice for the Duro workers.

"I am already informed about your situation," answered Governor Thomas Yarrington to the shouts of "Justice for the Duro workers" when they interrupted his tour. "You have been informed for two months, but with no results!" came the reply. The workers boldly cut in to all of the events of the tour, demanding justice with shouts and placards. At the same time the judicial police threatened them, saying if you don't leave you are going to regret it. Meanwhile, at noon Eliud Almaguer was receiving the union registration in Ciudad Victoria. After two weeks of attacks on the part of the union leaders against international solidarity the headlines in the press the next day announced "Yarrington considers labor problems."

Despite the threats of arrests by the governor of Tamaulipas and the local leaders of the CTM, several members of the Board of CJM, Human Rights activists and reporters from the United States have confirmed their attendance at the "International Forum for Freedom of Association." Reporters from the Mexican national press and union leaders from the UNT as well as representatives from the Senate of Mexico will be attending as well. This forum is the first of its kind on the border and is a testimony to international solidarity.

The struggle of the Duro workers has just begun. With the acquisition of their union registration they initiate their affiliation in their new union in order to demand the title to the collective bargaining contract from the national union CTM so that they themselves negotiate their contract and improve the conditions of their work. It is necessary that the workers are reinstalled in order that they can vote for their union in the "recuentro." (The "recuentro" is the union election in which the union that obtains the most votes will hold the contract with Duro Bag).

It is urgent that you send letters to Duro Bag Manufacturing, demanding that the workers who have been on strike be reinstalled immediately without any reprisals:

Charles Shor, CEO
Duro Bag Manufacturing Co.
Ludlow, KY

Tel: 1-800-879-3876 or 606-581-8200
Fax 606-581-8327

"We have been informed that the governor of Tamaulipas has granted the union registration to the Duro workers. The workers have the right to freely elect their representatives according to Mexican law and Duro has been maintaining its unwillingness to reinstall the striking workers. We demand that the workers that have been on strike be returned to their jobs without any reprisals."

Sr. Gobernador Thomas Yarrington:

"After two months of negotiations your government has shown good judgement, conceding the union registration to the Duro workers of Rio Bravo. It is urgent that your government intervene with the management of Duro in order that the workers return to their jobs without reprisals."

Tomas Yarrington Rubalcaba
Governor of the State of Tamaulipas
Tel: 01152 (1) 318-8700
Fax: 01152(1) 318-8701/23492

Web
http://www.tamaulipas.gob.mx/gobernador/contacto.htm
(tamps@infosel.net.mx)

Ernesto Zedillo Ponce de León

Fax: 01152 (5) 515-5792 or 516-5762
email: dmelo@presidencia.gob.mx

Vicente Fox Quezada
President elect of Mexico
E-mail Address:
vicente@fox2000.org.mx

Procurador De Tamaulipas: 52 131 28427

Home	LabourNet Germany: http://www.labournet.de/ Der virtuelle Treffpunkt der Gewerkschafts- und Betriebslinken The virtual meeting place of the left in the unions and in the workplace
	Datei:
	Datum: