NEWS - Support Striking Daewoo Work

[RangoonPost@xxxxxxx]

Subject: NEWS - Support Striking Daewoo Workers in Vitoria (Spain)

Title: Support Striking Daewoo Workers in Vitoria (Spain)
 Author: La Red Obrera
 Date: 28-SEP-1999
 Source: <struggs@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx, DAMN's labor topic specialist
 Reference: Socialist Appeal <socappeal@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
 
 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 thelack 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@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
 =====================================
 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 general conditions 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 and Miranda 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@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
 FAX.  + (34) 945 231202
 
 Comradely,
 
 Shop Stewards Committee
 Daewoo Vitoria
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