Company Polica and CTM/CROC Thugs Wage War on Duro Workers February 22, 2001

On Monday, the Duro Bag Workers Independent Union forced the Mexican government to set a date for a recuento - a union representation election which will take place on March 2nd in Rio Bravo. Now the strategy of government, Duro Bag Company, and its compliant unions - the CTM and CROC - is to put the workers under a state of siege and make a fair election impossible. Police, thugs, and management have begun a reign of terror to block the workers from organizing and to make it impossible for them to have an informed and free choice over which union should represent them.

The violations of democracy, workers rights, and Mexican law are blatant and shameless. We urgently need your help to publicize this and pressure the Mexican authorities. In the last NAFTA Labor Side Accords case the PRI government agreed to implement secret ballot elections. Now it appears the new Fox government is reneging and showing that it has even less respect for workers than did the PRI. Please write to President Fox and Governor Yarrington demanding that they bring an end to the repression of workers in Rio Bravo. Demonstrate at Mexican consulates and call your Congressional representatives to ask their help.

The Rules Are Rigged

• No Secret Ballot. Each worker must file before a bank of company and company-union representatives and thugs to orally declare which union she supports. Meanwhile the bosses take notes.

• No Neutral Place. The election is on company premises where entry is controlled by management. Workers have been told to wait to be called to vote. The election is at 9:30 A.M. Second and third shift workers must find transportation to return to work and then gain entry to the building if they want to vote. They can't be late.

Management threats

• Plant Closing. Management has told workers that if they vote in the independent union, the plant will close. They have begun moving machinery to a warehouse to increase fear that this is true.

• Firing. The plant manager has told workers that if they vote for the independent union they will be fired. He has also issued orders to supervisors that if anyone is seen with a flyer from the independent union, they should be hauled into the office where they will be fired

• "Bribes". Duro has announced a general wage increase which will show up in the pay envelopes workers receive the morning of the election plus an additional 10% raise for higher seniority workers (3 years) if they vote for the CTM. Nothing if they vote for the independent union since they'll be fired.

Repression all over town

• The hotel where organizers are staying is heavily monitored by police. The CTM has told managers not to let workers in, and the thugs are being reinforced with additions coming in from Mexico City.

• Organizers are followed by police and threatened and dispersed when they go out to pass out leaflets. Several were detained by both Judicial and Preventative Police early this morning and only released when they promised not to pass out more leaflets to workers getting off company buses. The bus drivers are in phone contact with the police.

Organizers in Rio Bravo report that the workers are very confused and scared. They have challenged the CTM to a public debate, but have gotten no response. Many workers have said they want a secret ballot. They have called on human rights and labor organizations in Mexico for support and they call on you for help. An end to the constant intimidation or a change in the election rules won't happen without a lot of pressure on the government and company.

Please write to President Fox and Governor Yarrington:

Dear President Fox (or Governor Yarrington):

I (my organization) am outraged at the violations of law and intimidation occurring in Rio Bravo to the Duro Bag Workers Union and to the workers. These actions that your government is perpetrating and permitting to occur are poisoning the possibility of a free and democratic recuento on March 2. The threats by management and the intimidation by hired thugs and the police violate all international standards of human rights as well as your own laws and Constitution. I therefore urge you in the strongest terms to:

• Respect your own laws and protect workers right to a free and democratic recuento (election)

• Guarantee a secret ballot and elections in a neutral place where everyone who is entitled to vote can do so freely

• End the intimidation, harassment, and surveillance by the police and protect the workers from the CTM and CROC thugs.

Sincerely,

(your name and/or organization)

Send to:

• Vicente Fox Quesada, President of Mexico

  Email him from his web page. Go to http://www.vicentefox.org.mx Select Tablero de Mensajes on right. Type your message and choose Enviar to send.

• Governor Tomas Yarrington, State of Tamaulipas:

Email tamps@infosel.net.mx or Email him from web page:

http://www.tamaulipas.gob.mx/gobernador/contacto.htm

or send Fax: 01152 (1) 318 8701

If you also want to contact Duro Bag, email them at info@durobag.com or fax: 859-581-8327

Hallmark (which buys 15% of Duro Rio Bravo's gift bags) can be reached from their web page at www.hallmark.com or at info@hallmark.com or fax: (816) 274-7555.

for more information contact CJM at 210-732-8957 or cjm@igc.org

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