Guatemalan Dockworkers Under Attack As Police Invade Port
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Page context: Home > Solidarity > 2006 Solidarity > Guatemalan Dockworkers Under Attack
The ITF has written to the President of Guatemala protesting at an impending crisis in the port of Quetzal, which was occupied by 300 armed riot police on 9th October. ITF affiliated union, the Puerto Quetzal Dockers’ Union (STEPQ) reported that police have been looking for the union leaders.
Workers of Puerto Quetzal have suffered constant repression by the Port Company for some time. This persecution has been persistent, to the extent that workers and trade union leaders have been forced to resign. On a number of occasions policemen have harassed union leaders, especially the General Secretary, who has been followed and pursued by armed agents. Guatemala is the second most dangerous country in Latin America after Colombia for trade unionists, with many being murdered each year.
Even though the union has consistently tried to establish a dialogue, the company has refused to cooperate. Having exhausted this route, the union initiated industrial action on September 11th. They stopped work for one hour on the first week and then increased it by one hour per week.
At 4 o’clock in the morning of 9th October the government sent the police in. A meeting had been scheduled between the union and the Communications Minister, but he cancelled it. Seven people have so far been arrested for taking part in ‘an illegal strike’. The Company has been dismissing workers for some time and have sent armed policemen to look for the union leaders in the past, but the workers have protected them.
The Puerto Quetzal Dockers’ Union has notified the ILO and the Guatemalan national human rights office of the police occupation and the arrests.
Affiliates are asked to demonstrate solidarity with the Puerto Quetzal Dockers’ Union by any legal means available to them and to write to the Guatemalan government demanding the following:
a) that the armed personnel leave the port facility;
b) that all harassment is brought to an end and that the dockworkers be allowed to continue working;
c) that unfair dismissals which have been taking place for the past 2 years stop, and that unfairly dismissed workers be reinstated;
d) that negotiations be initiated to resolve the problems of repression and harassment of workers; and
e) that the security and integrity of trade union leaders be guaranteed.
The protest letter from ITF General Secretary, David Cockroft is available to download below.
TAKE ACTION: Please send a protest FAX
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Stop forced retirement | Organising Attacked in Turkey | Supporting Blue Diamond Growers workers | Boycott PIA | Dockers in Iraq | Strike breakers in Costa Rican ports | Solidarity for Ryanair workers | TNT Justice | Diamond Offshore | Solidarity on the re-arrest of Mansour Osanloo | Action alert:Greek seafarers | Australia: 30 November protest | Protest against FirstGroup's anti-union stance | SATAWU solidarity message | Tehran Bus Dispute
Other pages for Guatemalan Dockworkers Under Attack:
Letter to the President of Guatemala
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