CJM urgent action (Maqiladoras) id BAA16024; Fri, 12 Sep 1997 01:34:49 -0400 Via NY Transfer News Collective * All the News that Doesn't Fit source: cjm@igc.apc.org Wed Sep 10 15:52:57 1997 Coalition for Justice in the Maquiladoras Urgent Fax Requests: CJM members ask for your help today! For more information: 210-732-8957. Released: Wednesday, September 10,= 1997 #1: CUSTOM TRIM WORKER'S FAMILY RECEIVES DEATH THREAT!=20 CJM is urgently requesting that letters of protest be sent on behalf of Salvador Bravo, a former worker of Custom Trim Ltd, in response to death threats that he, his wife and their two year old daughter have received. Salvador, 24, worked until recently at the Custom Trim's auto parts maquiladora in Valle Hermoso, his home town. He was fired on June 2 along with 27 other workers who were involved in a strike of all 240 Custom Trim employees for better wages and working conditions. Custom Trim fired the 28 workers despite a signed back-to-work agreement in which they agreed to permit the strikers to return to their jobs. In mid-August, Salvador was invited by the United Steelworkers of America (Canadian national office and USWA Local #1090) to participate in a "jobs with justice" solidarity campaign, meeting with Canadian workers of the Custom Trim company and calling attention to the plight of workers in Mexico before a wide audience in Canada. Custom Trim workers in Canada are represented by the Steelworkers. But when Salvador returned to Valle Hermoso, he was "invited" on Thursday, September 4th to come speak to the mayor of Valle Hermoso about his trip. Told by the mayor and two unknown men that they already knew all about who was "behind" the Custom Trim workers, they pressured him with threatening questions: why did he go, with whom had he spoken, what did he say? Salvador insisted that the important issue was not his going to Canada, but instead why it was that Custom Trim was allowed to violate its back-to-work agreements and deprive 28 workers of their living. =20 The next day, Friday September 5, three men arrived at Salvador's house and told his wife, 18-year old San Juana Lopez, that they needed to speak with him. She told them that Salvador was not home, and they waited for three hours before giving up. The next day, Saturday September 6, the three men returned, and again Salvador was not home. They told his wife, "You had better not be hiding him. Tell him that if he keeps opening his mouth, he won't find you and the girl here when he does come home." The next day, Sunday September 6, the three men returned and made the same threat again. = =20 On Tuesday, September 9, Salvador tried to file a criminal complaint before the local Public Magistrate's office, calling for an investigation of the threats; however, the authorities refused to accept his accusation. This is an extradordinary violation of their duties as legal authorities. Salvador has decided to work with a lawyer to file a formal complaint. Meanwhile, his wife and child have left Valle Hermoso and gone into hiding. CJM asks that letters of protest be sent, demanding: ***an investigation of the threats made or implied against Salvador Bravo, San Juana Lopez and their daughter, and prosectution of those responsible. ***a guarantee that Manuel Salvador Bravo's and other fired Custom Trim workers's right to freedom of speech and freedom of association be upheld.=20 ***that the role of the government of the state of Tamaulipas in intimidating workers' be investigated, and that Manuel Cavazos Lerma be held responsible for the well-being of all of the Custom Trim workers. ***that the Custom Trim company honor its back to work agreement and hire back the fired workers. So far, the company has spent much more money defending itself against the workers than it would ever have spent if they had reinstated them with back pay. Please send these faxes to: Maria Eugenia de Leon,Mayor of Valle Hermoso: (011-52-88) 42-36-19 Valle Hermoso's Public Magistrate's Office: (011-52-88) 42-02-17 Governor Manuel Cavazos Lerma: (011-52-88) 13-12-34-92. Custom Trim Ltd. (519) 576-0204 CJM: 210-732-8324 #2. MEXICAN WORKERS SEEK UNION CHANGE--FACE REPRESSION The Frente Autentico del Trabajo (FAT) and the United Electrical Workers (UE) are requesting faxes on behalf of workers in struggle at the Echlin Corporation's ITAPSA maquiladora in Mexico City. Yesterday, September 9, 1997, ITAPSA workers were to vote in a union election to determine if they would join the independent FAT union, or stay with the government-controlled CTM union. Although sentiment for the FAT union runs high among workers, the company and the CTM have conspired to raise legal obstacles and fire more than 50 workers in anticipation of the elections. Word is that armed thugs of the CTM arrived and are threatening workers, and that some workers were not permitted to leave at the end of their shift. =20 The FAT and the UE are asking all CJM friends to write a letter to the labor authorities in Mexico, demanding that workers' rights to free elections be respected and that violence not be used to intimdate workers to vote for any particular union. Please send your letter to: Alfredo Farid, Federal Conciliation and Arbitration Board, Mexico City, 011-525-588-3235. For more information, call Robin Alexander at 412-471-8919. #3. EL MA=D1ANA NEWSPAPER FACES CONTINUED STRUGGLE WITH GOVERNMENT Family and employees of El Ma=F1ana newspaper in Nuevo Laredo have suffered continued tragedy and intimiidation, in what appears to be a part of the newspaper's continuing battle with Tamaulipas state governor Manuel Cavazos Lerma. On September 1, 1997, the son-in-law of El Ma=F1ana newspaper owner Ninfa Deandar was found dead on the highway that connects Nuevo Laredo to Monterrey. He had mysteriously disappeared several days before.=20 On the morning of September 8, the house of El Ma=F1ana legal representative Miguel Angel Mart=EDnez was attacked by gunfire. Some unknown person or persons shot out the windows of his Nuevo Laredo house with a machine gun, as well as the windows of his cars. Fortunately, neither Mr. Mart=EDnez or his family were injured in the attack. However the assault comes as a clear warning to Mr. Mart=EDnez and El Ma=F1ana that the newspaper's continued criticism of financial and legal irregularities of the PRI government of Cavazos Lerma will not go unpunished. Recently, Mr. Mart=EDnez was involved in the successful legal defense of some 40 maquiladora workers who had been illegally fired when the company chose to close and reopen under a different name. The newspaper El Ma=F1ana had voiced major support for the workers,= as they have done on behalf of other maquiladora workers in other circumstances. Mysteriously, the paper was targetted to be audited by state fiscal authorities, a common political tactic in Mexico to hamper the work of organizations that run counter to the government. Please write a letter of protest to Governor Manuel Cavazos Lerma. Ask that= he: ***guarantee a full investigation of the murder of Ruben Calderon, son-in-law of Ninfa Deandar, and the prosecution of those responsible to the fullest extent of the law. ***guarantee a full investigation of the assault on the home of Miguel Angel Martinez, and the prosecution of those responsible. =20 ***guarantee respect for the freedom of the press in his state of Tamaulipas, and in particular, assure that El Ma=F1ana is not= subject to any harassment by his government. Please send to: Governor Manuel Cavazos Lerma (01152) 13-12-34-92. El Manana de Nuevo Laredo (01152) 87-15-04-05 CJM 210-732-8324=20 Thank you very much! =09 In solidarity: CJM please post ================================================================= NY Transfer News Collective * A Service of Blythe Systems Since 1985 - Information for the Rest of Us 339 Lafayette St., New York, NY 10012 http://www.blythe.org e-mail: nyt@blythe.org ================================================================= nytcamer-09.12.97-01:34:49-30506