[ARGENTINA] SOLIDARITY WITH WORKERS OF THE BUS LINE 60

One month of struggle in the main bus line of Argentina: 1.200 workers fighting against Cristina Kirchner government and the employers

SOLIDARITY WITH WORKERS OF THE BUS LINE 60

We call to international solidarity to the bus line 60 workers!

Workers of the Bus Line 60 in Buenos Aires, Argentina, started to fight for 40% wage increase one month ago (last year the 35% inflation rate shrink transport union salaries). Their struggle was to give bus passengers free tickets, so the company lost the revenues. The employers answered firing 47 workers; 53 along with other 6 workers that were already fired. The government, very much relationated with the company (called MONSA, owned by Pasciuto), stop to send the subsidized fuel and through a judge send the police to circle the transport terminal where dozens of workers where self-organizing the bus line with the fuel remaining. The workers committee elected by the workers is in full striving for the victory of the struggle, while the trade union bureaucracy of the transport union hasn´t call a single strike in solidarity.

“Stop militarizing our conflict, we want the re-hiring of the 53 fired comrades”

In a recent press statement of Al Volante (the workers association that is leading the struggle), they answer the policy of the government by saying: “[the government] has gone out into the media saying that our conflict is not about and deserves to be brought into the judge courts. These allegations serves Servini de Cubria [judge, TN] to militarize the transport terminal of Plaza Constitution and completely ignore the existence of a struggle organized by the legitimate and legal trade union representation of the workers. We demand, therefore, that the reverse the judgment of Servini de Cubria and the Plaza Constitution terminal demilitarization. We demand also both Anibal Fernandez [Cristina Kirchner cabinet chief, TN] and Roberto Fernández [head of the bureaucracy of the transport union, TN] to recognize the existence of a trade union claim and to organize a meeting between the company and delegates representing bus line 60 workers”

For a transport strike in support of the bus line 60 struggle

In the opinion of Juan Marino, leader of the Tendencia Piquetera Revolucionaria, it’s needed a great campaign in support of this workers fight: “First and urgently it requires the development of a campaign to end the police siege that has imprisoned many comrades within Plaza Constitution terminal, which prevents the entry of food and clothing, and threatens to carry out a violent eviction at any time. To this end, and to defeat the lies of Pasciuto-Fernández, we have to massively support the fight outside and inside the bus line. In this regard it is very important to make clear to the public that this is a union claim for reinstatement of the 53 dismissed. To achieve this, we propose to demonstrate in front of to the Ministry of Labour in order to ratify the legitimacy of the union claim and call a negotiating table with the employers. The government even tried to put a compulsory conciliation table at the time, so now they can not ignore workers as usual. The same police officers and prosecutors wrote several minutes noting that it was a union claim. We must rely on each victory and not give any position the government and employers. In this regard, the meeting of the CATT [Federation of Transport Unions. TN] with Jorge Altamira [Pre-presidential candidate of the Left Front, TN] had very promising statements. Schmid himself, leader of the CATT said that 'if UTA [Bus union, TN] call a strike, from the CATT we will show solidarity'. We hold his promise. It is timely, therefore, that the left and fighters convene a national strike in support of the bus line 60, the SENASA workers, Salta and Buenos Aires teachers, Acindar [Arcelor-Mittal], Siderar, the precarious workers in Chaco, high school students, Azul state workers and Santa Cruz mining workers require struggle plan and a national strike to bring all the struggles to victory. If 60 wins, we all win!"

TPR

Tendencia Piquetera Revolucionaria

Translated by Lionel Zivals