Yesterday was the fourth day of a strike in a bottling and distribution plant of Coca-Cola Femsa in Carabobo state. Workers are demanding a fair collective agreement, pay rises, food tickets, and a dining room.
By JANET DUCKWORTH – GREEN LEFT WEEKLY, Nov 17th 2010
More than 5,000 workers from across Venezuela marched to the Venezuelan National Assembly in Caracas, demanding a new labour law that would, "place in the hands of Venezuela’s workers the direction of this revolutionary process.”
On Tuesday Mitsubishi workers in Venezuela protested 307 new dismissal requests by the company. This follows long strikes, occupations, and the killing of two union members last year.
Incredibly, it appears that adherents of the Free Trade Agreement between the US and Colombia have commenced an effort to smear Venezuela in order to advance the prospects of the Colombia agreement by using bare statistics without elaboration or explanation to suggest that Colombia is no different. Nothing could be further from the truth.
Hundreds of workers from all over the country marched last Thursday in Venezuela’s capital Caracas in favor of a new “revolutionary labour law.” Furthermore, they wanted to express their solidarity with the Venezuelan Mitsubishi workers in struggle.
In the midst of factional infighting and an ongoing
dispute over a collective contract, elections for the United Federation of
Venezuelan Oil Workers (FUTPV), which were set for August 12th, have
now been postponed to September 2nd, the FUTPV Electoral Commission
has confirmed.
Argenis
Vasquez, a union leader in a Toyota plant in Cumana, Sucre state, was
assassinated yesterday morning, triggering an occupation of that factory and
quick investigations by government bodies.
Following the murder of two workers at a Mitsubishi plant, marches and
meetings have involved more of the regional community in the union
struggle, while six police have been arrested, and a range of
commissions have been established.
Workers accuse the police of shooting two fellow workers yesterday who
were participating in the occupation of a Mitsubishi plant in
Barcelona, Anzoategui state.
