LEAR Argentina: SMATA calls an “unusual assembly” where debates among the workers are not allowed

Lear: SMATA calls an “unusual assembly” where debates among the workers are not allowed At the beginning of the meeting Pignanelli stated, “this is an assembly without debate”–a logical absurdity that could only come from a character as absurd as Ricardo Pignanelli, the general secretary of the SMATA Union. Today, Thursday July 17, the SMATA […]

Lear: SMATA calls an “unusual assembly” where debates among the workers are not allowed

At the beginning of the meeting Pignanelli stated, “this is an assembly without debate”–a logical absurdity that could only come from a character as absurd as Ricardo Pignanelli, the general secretary of the SMATA Union. Today, Thursday July 17, the SMATA Union, with the support of multinationals, and Lear made use of all enforcement mechanisms available to virtually kidnap workers in busses. Instead of going to the factory, as they had been told, the workers were taken to the union building (Located 20 miles away from the Pacheco plant–Av Belgrano 600, CABA) to vote for the dismissal of the delegates of the internal committee. Workers, surrounded and intimidated by dozens of members of the SMATA’s gang, were forced to sign a document written by the SMATA and the multinational Lear.

In a manner reminiscent of the inquisition, delegates were unable to defend themselves, since they were not even aware of the incident. Four workers who refused to sign the phoney document were mercilessly fired. The unusual clandestine “assembly” of today happened while the U.S. multinational company Lear Corporation underwent a new legal setback: in the face of preventing delegates to enter the plant, the Court ruled that they must have all the rights to do so. This ruling confirms the previous four precautionary measurements requiring the company to reinstate the workers.

In the words of Lear workers: “Families in the street: Never Again.”

Listen to Ricardo Pignanelli (audio in Spanish)
http://www.pts.org.ar/Lear-insolita-asamblea-donde-se-prohibe-el-debate

Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson Has No Place at Labor Notes

The Labor Notes Conference will have record attendance this year, but it’s showing its limits by opening with a speech from Chicago’s pro-cop Democratic mayor, Brandon Johnson. Instead of facilitating the Democratic Party’s co-optation of our movement, Labor Notes should be a space for workers and socialists to gather and fight for a class-independent alternative.