[asia-apec 312] Mexican Workers May Die on Hunger Strike (Background)

[alarm]

Tabasco refuse collectors in struggle for two years

More than 500 refuse collectors from Tabasco, Mexico were in struggle
for 8 months last year demanding, amongst other things, their
reinstatement. In March last year they reached an agreement. But that
agreement was broken by the authorites and now they are in struggle
again. They walked for more than 40 days to Mexico city where some of
them have initiated a hunger strike. They need all international
solidarity they can get. 

Background

On July 10, 1995, 552 refuse collectors from Villahermosa, state of
Tabasco, Mexico were sacked by the council. The working conditions of
these workers are extremely hard, working up to 16 hours a day without
overtime payment, without medical insurance, and exposed to diseases and
infections as they don't have proper clothing or protection. 

Many of them live in the neighbouring towns of Nacajuca, Zentla or
Macuxpan. They spent two
hours and 25 pesos to go to Villahermosa to work. All this for a wage of
215 pesos a fortnight. 

The lack of clothing or protection has produced cases of cholera, throat
infections and even in 1994 the death of a worker, father of 4 children,
who contracted AIDS while picking up rubbish from a hospital. 

The first struggle

After being sacked on July 10, 1995 they started a long and heroic
struggle which lasted 8 months. During these long 8 months they
organised marches, sit-ins, hunger strikes and occupations. 

They even marched for 48 days from Villahermosa to the capital, Mexico
City. Once in Mexico city they organised protests in front of the
Parliament, the Senate, the Home Office, the High Court, the National
Palace, hunger strikes, demonstrations, they were expelled form the
Swedish embassy gardens by the riot police with the approval of Mr Jorge
Chen from the Foreing Affairs Secretary, and of Mr. Bo. Henrikson,
ambassador of Mr Christer Thaern, Secretary of the Embassy. Two workers
went on hunger strike for 76 days in Villahermosa. 

They were heavily repressed by the police. Ten workers were arrested and
later released on bail
and 44 had arrest warrants issued against them. During this heroic
struggle three workers died. Their names: Roberto Morales Hernandez,
Domingo Arias Clemente and Clemente Arias Rodriguez. They left behind
wives and children. 

This is how the workers described the conditions they had to face: "The
refuse collectors in the state of Tabasco, just for defending our
rights, have been beaten on 9 different occasions by the police using
all its strength and brutality. Our families have had to suffer the
devastating effects of two hurricanes which have destroyed our few
belongings. Our wives, sons and daughters, mothers and families have
suffered hunger, cold, lack of money to continue their studies, diseases
and lack of minimum living conditions. All this as a result of having
been unjustified sacked." 

Those directly responsible were Mr Roberto Madrazo Pintado and Mr Jesus
Taracena Martinez,
Governor and Council President in Tabasco. 

The agreement

On March 24, 1996 after 8 months of struggle they reached an agreement.
The deal was signed by the Secretaria de Gobernacion (Home Office), the
Tabasco state government and the workers. All workers had to be
reinstated, wages paid in full, the 44 arrest arrants to be suspended
and compensation to be paid to the families of the workers who died
during the struggle. The workers on their side agreed to suspend all
demonstrations, sit-ins and hunger strikes. The agreement was signed
under the supervision of the National Human Rights Commission (a
government body) headed by Jorge Madrazo Cuellar. 

But after a short period of time it was clear to the workers that none
of the conditions agreed were being implemented. 

The second struggle

When the workers realised that they had been cheated they started the
struggle again. For a second time they walked from Villahermosa to
Mexico city with their families, that is those who still had families to
march with. Martin Ramirez Herrera, 31 years old, who participated in
the 76 days long hunger strike in 1995 explains that: "I left my 9 year
old twin daughters in Villahermosa with their grandmother, as my wife
left me at the time of the first mass redundancies". 

They have set up permanent protests (24 hours a day, 7 days a week) in
front of the headquarters of the PRI (the ruling party), the Senate and
the National Human Rights Commission. 

On Octobre, 14, 1995, two workers, Venancio Jimenez Amartinez and Jorge
Luis Alamilla Magana went on hunger strike in front of the National
Human Rights Commission. On November 25, five other workers joined them:
Rodrigo Gonzalez Suarez, Agustin Vicente Sanchez, Adolfo Sanchez
Balcazar, Antonio Mendez Hernandez and Jesus Jimenez Montero. 

On December 4, 1996, 18 workers took their clothes off in front of the
Senate to "try and shame
the authorities who have broken their commitments". At the same time the
PRD senator
Felix Salgado Macedonio raised the issue in the Senate. Some workers
extracted blood from
themselves and threw it on the Senate building.  

What can you do?

These workers need as much solidarity as they
can get. International pressure can play a crucial role. Actions need to
be taken urgently. 

Sent faxes of protest demanding all agreements to be implemented
immediately to: 

Secretaria de Gobernacion Licenciado Esteban Moctezuma Barragan Fax: 525
521 27 63 

Letters of solidarity can be sent to: 

Broad Front of Democratic Struggle Calle Insurgentes n. 203 Fracc.
Insurgentes Ciudad Industrial
Villahermosa TABASCO, Mexico. 

or emailed through: 

National Trade Union Commission,
Party of the Democratic Revolution
a la atencion de los trabajadores de la limpia de Tabasco
joseluisr at laneta.apc.org