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Thanks and update from Carrier workers in Spain

From Celestino Arbaolaza, General Secretary, CCOO branch Carrier-Spain, Guadalajara, 12 December 1997

The Workers Commissions (CCOO) union branch in Carrier wishes to thank all those who have sent us solidarity messages.

The currrent situation is as follows: we went to the compulsory arbitration where the company did not say a word about withdrawing the sackings. We won a case in the Labour Tribunal to allow the two sacked comrades to go into the factory and continue with their duties as trade union representatives.

We organised a massive information campaign with thousands of leaflets, banners, posters, etc in order to inform all the workers in the factory and of all other factories in the city, calling at the same time for a demonstration.

On November 18 we held a successful demonstration against trade union repression in Carrier with the participation of 500 people, Carrier workers and workers from other local companies. If you take into account the amount of people living in Guadalajara this would be equivalent to a demo of 40,000 people in Madrid! At the end there was a collection for the hardship fund.

The company, throught its lawyer insists that the problem would be solved if we accepted "some kind of sanction". It is really unbelievable that we are subjected to such pressure for the only "crime" of issuing and distributing a trade union information leaflet. This is the only "reason" why these two representatives have been sacked since October 9.

This is the real situation, where in many companies one can be sacked just for making use of our rights. Therefore we must resist, if we give up this would mean a dangerous precedent which could be used in other opportunities by the bosses.

On December the 18 the case will be heard at the Labour Court and we are preparing a lobby of the building. This is all by now, we will keep you informed. Thanks again for your support.

Warmest class greetings,
Celestino Arbaolaza
General Secretary, CCOO branch Carrier-Spain, Guadalajara

Article by La Red Obrera/LabourNet
www.labournet.org.uk