In defense of Marxism-http://www.marxist.com

Workers International League-http://www.socialistappeal.org

Venezuela - Solidarity with CNV workers

Comrades,

This is a solidarity appeal from Venezuela. The workers at the Constructora Nacional de Vávulas (CNV, National Valve Factory) have been occupying the factory they work in from May 15, to defend their jobs. They have been threatened with eviction from the premises. They could be evicted in the next few days if we are not able to prevent it with the struggle of the workers and the solidarity of the local community, of workers in other companies together with international solidarity.

The owner of CNV is one of those bosses who tried to overthrow the Hugo Chavez government during the December–January lock out. After the defeat of the bosses’ lock-out, the owner of CNV, Sosa Pietri, tried to make the workers pay for the cost of the lock out and continued to sabotage the economy. He threatened to sack the 123 workers which the company had at that time. Sixty three of them decided to occupy the premises and have been fighting for the last few months so that they are allowed to resume production under workers’ control and management in order to defend the jobs and the national economy which is facing sabotage of the counter-revolution.

But the boss has taken the workers to court and is attempting to use a court decision declaring the workers action to be an “illegal invasion” to evict them.

If the workers' appeal against this court decision is not successful, then the regional Miranda Police (under the control of one of the main opposition coup organisers and governor of Miranda, Enrique Mendoza) will be used to evict them.

In order to avoid this, the CNV workers are asking for international solidarity through the sending of messages demanding the intervention of the national government and the Ministry of Labour to defend the workers rights. Also solidarity messages to the workers will be welcomed.

Send messages to:

President of Venezuela presidencia@venezuela.gov.ve

Ministry of Labour dgtrabajo@mintra.gov.ve

Solidarity messages to the workers can be sent through El Militante Venezuela (venezuela@elmilitante.org) which will be passed on to the workers. Below there is also a model protest letter (in Spanish) which you can use.

Modelo de Resolucion

Los abajo firmantes , conocida la lucha que vienen manteniendo los trabajadores de Constructora Nacional de Válvulas (CNV) desde hace varios meses en defensa de sus puestos de trabajo y de la economía venezolana a trvés de la ocupación de su fábrica, contra el intento del empresario, Andrés Sosa Pietri, participante en el paro golpista de diciembre, de hacer recaer los costes de sus acciones contrarrevolucionarias sobre los trabajadores y seguir saboteando la economía nacional mediante el cierre de la empresa, exigimos:

1) Que no se ejecute ninguna orden de desalojo contra los trabajadores

2) Que el empresario se siente a negociar sin condiciones

3) Que el Gobierno de la República a través del Ministerio de Trabajo y la Presidencia de la República impida cualquier intento de desalojar a los trabajadores y busque una solución que permita el mantenimiento de todos los puestos de trabajo y que la empresa vuelva a producir.

Los abajo firantes nos compremetemos a apoyar cuantas acciones realicen los trabajadores de CNV en defensa del empleo y a extender la solidaridad con su justa lucha

¡NO AL SABOTEO DE LA ECONOMÏA VENEZOLANA POR LOS CONTRARREVOLUCIONARIOS GOLPISTAS¡

¡QUE LAS CONSECUENCIAS DEL PARO GOLPISTA Y LA CRISIS NO LAS PAGUEN LOS TRABAJADORES¡

¡MANTENIMIENTO DE TODOS LOS PUESTOS DE TRABAJO EN CNV¡

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