Anti-union terror in Guatemala
MUA calls for widespread public condemnation
The MUA has joined the international outcry against the brutal murder of Guatamalan port union leader Pedro Zamora Alvarez and ongoing death threats against his colleagues.
MUA National Secretary Paddy Crumlin, an executive board member of the International Transport Workers' Federation (ITF) and chair of the dockers' section, is calling on Australian unionists to join the five million world transport workers affiliated with the ITF in demanding a full inquiry into the assassination and protection for remaining union leaders and members.
Pedro Zamora Alvarez, General Secretary of the ITF-affiliated Puerto Quetzal Dockers' Union STEPQ, was gunned down in Puerto Quetzal, Guatemala in front of his children on January 15.
"Pedro was murdered in cold blood in front of his children, just for taking a stand for his fellow workers," said Paddy Crumlin. "This sort of brutality must not go unpunished. Whoever held the gun, whoever ordered the assassination, must be brought to court."
Violence has escalated in the port since workers began protests last October against plans to privatise the port, trade union repression and company failure to negotiate a collective agreement.
When the workers took industrial action 300 armed riot police occupied the port, union leaders were threatened and armed security agents followed and intimidated Pedro Zamora, the ITF reports.
After widespread international protests and union lobbying of banana companies trading through the port, the government agreed to negotiate with the union. In recent weeks, it seemed that the dispute was all but settled.
But after picking up his children from a hospital appointment, on January 15, Pedro Zamora's car was rammed then sprayed with gunfire from both sides of the vehicle. More than 100 bullets hit the car, around 20 hit Zamora and his three-year-old son was injured. One of the killers then walked up to his vehicle and shot Pedro in the face in front of his terrified children.
Since the killing, the five surviving leaders of the STEPQ union have been followed and received telephoned death threats, including threats to murder their families.
"International pressure was successful in forcing the government to negotiate with the union before and international pressure can put a stop to this murderous anti union repression," said Paddy Crumlin.
The ITF and International Trade Union Confederation - ITUC - are making a complaint to the International Labour Organization's Freedom of Association Committee, on the grounds that these acts constitute gross violations of trade union rights.
The ITF has also sought the assistance of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights and has approached other global unions, human rights organisations and international bodies.
The MUA National Secretary has joined union leaders internationally in writing to the government of Guatemala, calling for a full investigation. He is also asking all ACTU affiliates to do likewise.
"It is now important all MUA delegates and activists join the campaign by sending protest letters to the government of Guatemala, approaching their local members to support the campaign and circulating the Charter for Justice to union members and public figures for signature."
This charter is available in petition form on the ITF website alongside automated letters. The link is : http://www.itfglobal.org/solidarity/pedro-zamora.cfm
Members can also download and print the letter to fax or post.
Meanwhile the ITF is appealing for financial assistance, both for Pedro's family and to support the union struggle in Guatemala.
"The fight for our rights at work does not stop in Australia," said Paddy Crumlin. "We won't cop repression of workers freedoms here, we won't cop it anywhere."
Unionists on hit list
Philippines Military Chief General Hermogenes Esperon Jr. has admitted that soldiers had been involved in the killings of left-wing activists, including unionists, the Manila Daily Inquirer reports.
"We acknowledge that some members of the AFP have been involved in the deaths of some members of militant organisations but we definitely do not condone these," he told a news conference in Camp Aguinaldo.
A commission of inquiry headed by judge Jose Melo recommended prosecutions of those responsible.
"Workers and unionists have been at the top of the military hit list and those responsible must be brought to justice," said MUA National Secretary Paddy Crumlin.
"15 unionists were shot dead in 2005 including the brutal killing of Ka Ric Ramos, president of the Central Azucarera de Tarlac Labor Union (CATLU). Nestle union leader Diosdado Fortuna was gunned down in Southern Tagalog. Not to mention the violent dispersal of strikers in Hacienda Luisita in November 2004, where 14 people were killed, including two children. These murderous attacks on workers' rights have to stop."
The Philippine human rights group Karapatan has listed more than 800 people allegedly gunned down by security forces since 2001. It was unclear how many of those had been investigated by the Melo Commission.
According to the Daily Inquirer, Melo named retired Maj. Gen. Jovito Palparan, described by Karapatan as a "butcher" and "executioner," as one of the commanders who could be held responsible.
But Palparan described the accusations as 'communist propaganda'.
Six soldiers were facing charges before civilian and military courts over their involvement in the killings of leftists, including the murder of peasant leader Nicanor delos Santos in 2002.
The Philippines Government plans to ask the European Union, Spain, Finland and Sweden - which have raised concerns about the killings - to send investigators to assist the commission.
Indonesian port victory
JAKARTA: Workers at the Jakarta terminal staged a successful stoppage in February, with management finally agreeing to implement the terms of their collective agreement.
The workers brought international port operator Hutchison at the PT Pelino II and OTP joint venture operations, Terminal Peti Kemas Koja, to a standstill.
They held a peaceful protest to list their demands, singing and waving placards urging "Unite for Prosperity".
Chair of the union at Terminal Peti Kemas Koja, Iwan Setyabudi, led the protest action.
"Why negotiate if management won't implement what we agree to," he told the City Post daily. "We had 23 demands, with only one demand, the bonus, which they still would not agree to."
MUA National Secretary Paddy Crumlin wrote to the union congratulating the workers on their victory.
"The unity and determination of your more than 600 members in their struggle to ensure management honoured the outcome of your negotiations, including the productivity bonus, after two long years of delay is indeed exemplary," he wrote. "So too is the courage of the SP TPK dockworkers who brought the terminal to a standstill and peacefully protested against such gross injustice on January 31."
The union comes under the ITF affiliated Indonesian Port Workers' Alliance, with other port unions backing their comrades in their demands.
ITF Coordinator for Indonesia Hanafi Rustandi said the welfare of JICT and TPK Koja employees were among the lowest compared to the welfare of the employees at other international ports whose shares are controlled by Hutchison Port Holding Company. "The ITF will fully support the strike plan of the trade unions if their demands are not fulfilled by the management," he said.
Indonesian waterside workers also closed terminals in December as part of the ITF week of action, joining seafarers, Garuda airline workers, rail, bus and truck drivers to protest the draft transport bill before the Indonesian parliament.
Hanafi Rustandi told the Indonesian press that Indonesian workers were the lowest paid in the Asean region. Whereas Philippines and Vietnamese workers average US $200 to US $250 a month, the average wage in Indonesia is at most US $90 per month.
"Our demands are not out of the ordinary," he said. "We just want basic rights for workers. Indonesian workers are the poorest in the world and that must change."
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