United Electrical, Radio and Machine Workers of America (UE)

Another world is possible! In the face of a serious financial crisis - used by employers as a rationale to close plants, cut positions or decrease wages and benefits, often with little or no notice - workers are fighting back. At a time when many workers have no legal protections, domestic workers, warehouse workers, day laborers and others are building organizations and winning victories. Workers will share their stories and strategies. In the first part, CGT (France) and UE Local 1110 (Chicago) will share the experience of plant occupations and other tactics at Thales, Renault, Molex and Continental and Republic Windows and Doors. We will also screen a short video about the Chicago sit-in. In the second part, workers legally forbidden from bargaining in the public sector will join warehouse, day laborers, domestic and other excluded workers from the United States and Mexico to focus on alternative strategies, describing some of the victories they have already achieved and the obstacles they still must overcome. Workshop participants will then divide into small groups to deepen discussions and to talk about ways to link up with and support these struggles. We will come back together to discuss our conclusions.

The Quebéc imposed a contract that froze wages and decreased purchasing power 3.4%. Public sector workers in N.C. are denied the right to even bargain with their employers. In Mexico, the escalating assault on public sector workers includes the discharge of 44,000 electrical workers and an attack on the new, democratic union at Pemex. This workshop focuses on the impact of neo-liberal policies on public sector workers and the role of community support and international solidarity in helping us deal together with the obstacles we face. We rely on the actual experience of the UE (U.S.), FAT (Mexico) and CSN (Québec). An initial analysis of the attack on public services whill be followed by Rank and file leaders who will describe the challenges facing public hospital workers in N.C. and their response; the continuing struggle of public sector workers in Mexico to organize democratic unions; and how workers in Quebec responded by forming the greatest “Common Front” in Quebec’s history in the inter-union alliance of public service unions (SISP). In the final section we will divide into small groups to discuss ways to link up with and support these struggles and come back together to discuss our conclusions.

The administration of President Felipe Calderón has provoked a series of labor crises in Mexico in an attempt to destroy the independent labor movement. Four dramatic examples illustrate the comprehensive attack on Mexican labor unions, and constitute clear violations of international labor and human rights: the liquidation of the state-owned Light and Power Company of central Mexico and discharge the entire 44,000 worker membership of SME; the discharge of 1,200 copper miners engaged in a three-year old strike at the Cananea mine -- a continued attack on SNTMMRM; an attempt to destroy the newly certified independent union, UNTyPP,at Pemex by forcing workers to resign and decertify their union or lose their jobs; and introduction of labor law "reform" legislation that would virtually eliminate the right to strike and undercut various other labor protections. Following presentations by union leaders from Mexico engaged in these struggles and a discussion of what international solidarity has looked like, this PMA will attempt to respond to the challenge: How do we take the next step and move from solidarity in particular cases to a tri-national defense of workers' rights.

Another world is possible! In the face of a serious financial crisis - used by employers as a rationale to close plants, cut positions or decrease wages and benefits, often with little or no notice - workers are fighting back. At a time when many workers have no legal protections, domestic workers, warehouse workers, day laborers and others are building organizations and winning victories. Workers will share their stories and strategies. In the first part, CGT (France) and UE Local 1110 (Chicago) will share the experience of plant occupations and other tactics at Thales, Renault, Molex and Continental and Republic Windows and Doors. We will also screen a short video about the Chicago sit-in. In the second part, workers legally forbidden from bargaining in the public sector will join warehouse, day laborers, domestic and other excluded workers from the United States and Mexico to focus on alternative strategies, describing some of the victories they have already achieved and the obstacles they still must overcome. Workshop participants will then divide into small groups to deepen discussions and to talk about ways to link up with and support these struggles. We will come back together to discuss our conclusions.

The Quebéc imposed a contract that froze wages and decreased purchasing power 3.4%. Public sector workers in N.C. are denied the right to even bargain with their employers. In Mexico, the escalating assault on public sector workers includes the discharge of 44,000 electrical workers and an attack on the new, democratic union at Pemex. This workshop focuses on the impact of neo-liberal policies on public sector workers and the role of community support and international solidarity in helping us deal together with the obstacles we face. We rely on the actual experience of the UE (U.S.), FAT (Mexico) and CSN (Québec). An initial analysis of the attack on public services whill be followed by Rank and file leaders who will describe the challenges facing public hospital workers in N.C. and their response; the continuing struggle of public sector workers in Mexico to organize democratic unions; and how workers in Quebec responded by forming the greatest “Common Front” in Quebec’s history in the inter-union alliance of public service unions (SISP). In the final section we will divide into small groups to discuss ways to link up with and support these struggles and come back together to discuss our conclusions.

The administration of President Felipe Calderón has provoked a series of labor crises in Mexico in an attempt to destroy the independent labor movement. Four dramatic examples illustrate the comprehensive attack on Mexican labor unions, and constitute clear violations of international labor and human rights: the liquidation of the state-owned Light and Power Company of central Mexico and discharge the entire 44,000 worker membership of SME; the discharge of 1,200 copper miners engaged in a three-year old strike at the Cananea mine -- a continued attack on SNTMMRM; an attempt to destroy the newly certified independent union, UNTyPP,at Pemex by forcing workers to resign and decertify their union or lose their jobs; and introduction of labor law "reform" legislation that would virtually eliminate the right to strike and undercut various other labor protections. Following presentations by union leaders from Mexico engaged in these struggles and a discussion of what international solidarity has looked like, this PMA will attempt to respond to the challenge: How do we take the next step and move from solidarity in particular cases to a tri-national defense of workers' rights.