HAN YOUNG 12-18-97 (fwd)

[Sid Shniad <shniad@xxxxxx>]

> ---------- Forwarded message ----------
> Date: Thu, 18 Dec 1997 19:50:04 -0800 (PST)
> From: Campaign for Labor Rights <clr@xxxxxxxxxxx>
> To: clr@xxxxxxx
> Subject: HAN YOUNG 12-18-97
>
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> HAN YOUNG 12-18-97
>
> [Information provided by staff of the Support Committee for Maquiladora
> Workers, who ask that local activists seeking updates contact Campaign for
> Labor Rights: (541) 344-5410, <CLR@xxxxxxxxxxx>]
>
> In this report:
> 1) Clarifications
> 2) Hold the letters!
> 3) Related issues
> 4) Press release from Rep. David Bonior
>
> 1) CLARIFICATIONS
>
> Hyundai boycott: The boycott of Hyundai Motors will not be called off until
> a collective bargaining agreement is signed. However, the boycott
> demonstrations are on hold. The Support Committee for Maquiladora Workers is
> not asking local activists to leaflet at Hyundai dealerships at this time.
>
> The bribes: In the two days leading up to the second union certification
> election at Han Young, management was offering bribes of 1,000 pesos to any
> worker who would vote for the government-controlled CTM stand-in union. The
> U.S. equivalent of this amount is approximately $125. The Canadian
> equivalent is $85-90.
>
> Two independent unions: As a condition for participating in a second union
> certification election, the Han Young workers insisted that the state
> government of Baja commit in writing beforehand that, no matter whether
> STIMAHCS won or lost in the election, the government would recognize a state
> industrial union. STIMAHCS is affiliated with the independent FAT labor
> federation. The state industrial union, also independent, is not affiliated
> with any federation. This plan gave the workers a double back-up. First, if
> STIMAHCS had lost the second election, the workers would still would have
> had an official agreement to recognize an independent union. Second, if
> STIMAHCS won but hitches developed later (such as the state refusing to
> certify it), the workers would have the unaffiliated independent union to
> fall back on. The workers are not expecting to have to use their fallback
> option. It will be STIMAHCS which represents the workers in collective
> bargaining, scheduled to begin in early January, following the Christmas
> holiday break.
>
> 2) HOLD THE LETTERS!
>
> Although Hyundai is a separate company from Han Young, Ted Chung, the
> president of Hyundai Precision America has made a commitment to the Support
> Committee for Maquiladora Workers to see that the process moves forward, all
> the way through the signing of a collective bargaining agreement between
> STIMAHCS and Han Young management. He says that he is pleased that the
> workers' choice of a union is finally certified and that he wants to do
> everything possible within his power to ensure that an agreeable contract is
> signed. As Han Young's sole source of business, Hyundai Precision has
> considerable clout with Han Young management.
>
> Mr. Chung understands why we need to continue the boycott of Hyundai Motors
> until a contract is signed at Han Young. He has, however, made a special
> request to the Support Committee that people not be asked to write more
> letters to him as long as the process is moving forward. The Support
> Committee is happy to honor that request. Thanks to all of you who already
> sent letters. To those who have not yet sent your letters (which we called
> for in yesterday's alert), please do not send them.
>
> 3) RELATED ISSUES
>
> The Baja state government and the industry association are trying to
> minimize the damage to their image following the STIMAHCS victory at Han
> Young. The strategy is to take journalists on guided tours of gleaming,
> modern factories in the Tijuana area, to bolster their contention that
> conditions at Han Young are the exception in the area. (If that were true,
> why would the power structure have been so intent on resisting a victory at
> Han Young?) So, don't be surprised if you start seeing syndicated newspaper
> stories depicting a workers' paradise just south of San Diego. The crisis at
> Han Young was a kind of reverse poster child for NAFTA during the debate
> over "fast track." If President Clinton tries to resuscitate "fast track"
> this year, such stories are likely.
>
> One fact to keep in mind: The nature of some production requires clean,
> up-to-date factories. This is particularly true in electronics, the major
> industry in the Tijuana area. Conditions for the product and conditions for
> workers are not necessarily the same. As has been amply demonstrated in the
> Nike campaign, a walk through a sparkling factory tells you nothing about
> issues such as: exposure to toxics, pay, hours, forced overtime, sexual
> harassment, physical abuse and the right to organize.
>
> A recent study released by the Maquiladora Health and Safety Network details
> health and safety problems in 70 Tijuana factories surveyed by a team of
> workers who conducted interviews with the employees of those plants. A
> summary of this report will appear in the next issue of the Maquiladora
> Health and Safety Network email newsletter. To subscribe (it's free!), send
> an email to <ishmaelMD@xxxxxxx>.
>
> 4) BONIOR PRESS RELEASE
>
> Following is a press release distributed yesterday by the office of U.S.
> Rep. David Bonior (D-MI). Note: The release refers to two hunger strikers.
> Three illegally fired workers maintained their fast until the independent
> union was certified. Bonior met with two of the three in October, prior to
> the hunger strike.
>
> BONIOR COMMENDS HAN YOUNG WORKERS FOR ACHIEVING HISTORIC, INDEPENDENT UNION
> - - - - - - - - - - - -
> Bonior Says That Hard Work, Courage and Solidarity Brought About a Positive
> Result in a Long Struggle
>
> Washington, DC - Congressman David E. Bonior (D-MI) today applauded the
> workers of the Han Young factory in Tijuana, Mexico who achieved recognition
> of their independent union, despite efforts from company managers and
> government officials to stop them. It is the first independent union to be
> recognized among the 2,700 maquiladora factories along the U.S.-Mexico border.
>
> "This is a major step in the right direction," said Bonior. "I want to
> commend these workers who have struggled for months to achieve an
> independent union. They have overcome tremendous odds to get this far - a
> true testament to their hard work, courage and solidarity."
>
> Late Tuesday evening, the workers of Han Young won a second election to have
> an independent union represent them. This result occurred despite reported
> actions to squelch their effort through intimidation and bribery. The
> workers at the Han Young factory had already elected an independent union on
> October 6, 1997. But, on November 10, the Mexican Labor Board - which is
> controlled by the Mexican government - threw out the election results, and
> deemed the independent union illegitimate.
>
> "This victory was achieved in spite of the system that is in place in
> Mexico, not because of it," said Bonior. "These workers have been down a
> long, hard road. They have endured months of harassment, yet they persisted
> in their struggle for justice - and grew stronger along the way. Their
> vision and perseverance is reminiscent of the autoworkers in the 1936
> sit-down strike in Flint, Michigan - whose efforts led to the creation of
> the UAW.
>
> "We must continue to do all we can to ensure that Mexico enforces its labor
> laws, as required under the NAFTA side agreements. The right of workers to
> organize is a fundamental democratic principle," Bonior said.
>
> On October 26 in Ciudad de Juarez, Mexico, Congressman Bonior - along with
> Congressmen Peter DeFazio (D-OR) and Bernie Sanders (I-VT) - met with four
> workers from the Han Young factory - all leaders in the effort to organize
> an independent union. As a result of their struggle to achieve better wages
> and establish safer working conditions, these workers suffered threats,
> intimidation, and the loss of their jobs. Two of these brave workers, Miguel
> Angel Sanchez and Miguel Angel Meza Arroyo, later launched a hunger strike
> which helped bring international attention to their cause.
>
> Congressman Bonior, with fourteen other Members of Congress, wrote to
> President Bill Clinton in early November, asking him to raise the issue of
> the Han Young workers' right to organize with Mexican President Ernesto
> Zedillo during his visit to Washington, D.C. Congressman Bonior also spoke
> to Vice President Al Gore, who personally raised the issue with President
> Zedillo.
>
> Workers in the border factories, called maquiladoras, are currently
> represented by government-controlled unions - who rarely meet with workers,
> and do little to address issues like low wages, poor working conditions, and
> worker safety. Since passage of the North American Free Trade Agreement,
> employment in the maquiladoras has nearly doubled, while wages have fallen
> by 30 percent.
>