US foreign policy vs. oil producers?

by Hebe Thu Feb 20, 2003 18:46

20 February 2003

IRSP Condemn Attack on Venezuelan Trade Unionists

The Irish Republican Socialist Party expressed solidarity with workers in
Venezuela who were attacked last week while going to their workplace in a
company coach. Some 30 tyre factory workers were attacked while riding to
their workplaces in the coach operated by their employer in Barquisimeto,
Venezuela last Thursday. Two of the workers were injured, one from being
hit in the eye with a splinter of glass, while the other was shot and
wounded in his arm.

The workers at the Covencaucho tyre factory occupied the factory in January
in a protest against their employer trying to force them to take 'unpaid
holidays' as part of what the political opposition had attempted to make
appear to be a 'strike' against the government, but was in reality a lock-out.

The attack on the coach took place in front of a police officer and
appeared to have occurred with the collaboration of the coach driver, who
slowed just before a hail of nine bullets were fired into the coach. The
workers on the attacked coach included three newly elected trade union
militants.

The example set by the Covencaucho workers inspired other workers at the
nearby Embutidos Semosa factory to occupy their factory on February 3rd,
demanding full reimbursement for the similar 'unpaid holiday' forced upon
them by a bosses lock-out designed to provide support for opposition to the
Chavez government.

In a statement issued by the International Department of the IRSP, a
spokesperson said:

"We in the Irish Republican Socialist Party applaud the courage of the
Covencaucho workers for standing up to their bosses attempt to use them as
pawns in an attack on the democratically elected government of Venezula.
Moreover, we condemn those reactionaries who launched an armed attack these
militant workers, wounding two of them in the process.

"We call for those responsible for this attack to be apprehended and
brought to justice and for any police personnel who stood idlely by during
this attack to be removed from positions of authority and prosecuted as
complicit in the attack. Further, we call for a full investigation into the
possible collusion of the factory owner with the staging of this attack."

In closing, the IRSP spokesperson said:

"We encourage the workers of Venezula and around the world to look to the
Covencaucho workers as a source of inspiration and an example of how to
fight for the interests of working class people."

ENDS

IRSP
392 Falls Road
Belfast BT12 6DH
Ireland