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Transcript
JAISAL NOOR:
GENERAL MOTORS CONTINUES TO REJECT DEMANDS OF A FORMER EMPLOYEES–INCLUDING ONE IN THE THIRD MONTH OF HIS THIRD HUNGER STRIKE — TO NEGOTIATETHE DEMANDS OF WORKERS FIRED AFTER BEING INJURED AT A GM-OWNED PLANTIN COLOMBIA.AMBIENT CHANTING “WE ARE ASOTRECOL”LAST WEEK IN DETROIT, SUPPORTERS DELIVERED A PETITION WITH 76,000SIGNATURES TO GENERAL MOTORS HEADQUARTERS AND PROTESTED AT AN AUTOSHOW, ALL TO HELP RAISE AWARENESS OF THE PLIGHT OF ASOTRECOL, THEGROUP REPRESENTING INJURED WORKERS, WHO WERE FIRED FROM GM’SCOLMOTORES PLANT IN COLOMBIA. MELVIN THOMPSON, AN ACTIVE DETROITAUTOWORKER, FORMER PRESIDENT OF UAW LOCAL 140 LEAD THE ACTION.(CLIP OF MIC CHECK)THOMPSON, WHO HAS LAUNCHED HIS SECOND FAST IN SOLIDARITY WITH THEHUNGER-STRIKING COLOMBIAN AUTO-WORKERS WAS AMONG SEVERAL ACTIVISTSBRIEFLY DETAINED BY AUTHORITIES.(CLIP OF MELVIN, OTHERS BEING DETAINED)IN MAY 2011, 68 WORKERS WHO SAID THEY WERE FIRED AFTER BEING INJUREDON THE JOB FORMED ASOTRECOL AND LAID OUT THEIR DEMANDS OF GM, WHICHINCLUDE RE-TRAINING AND NEW JOBS IN THE PLANT, DISABILITY BENEFITS FORTHOSE UNABLE TO WORK AND COMPENSATION FOR LOST WAGES FOLLOWING THEIRWRONGFUL DISMISSAL. ON AUGUST 1ST OF THAT YEAR, THEY BEGAN OCCUPYINGTHE SIDEWALK ACROSS THE STREET FROM THE U.S. EMBASSY IN BOGOTA TODIRECT THE US, WHICH HOLDS 26% OF GM SHARES TO DELIVER JUSTICE. A YEAR LATER AFTER A LACK OF RESPONSE FROM GM,ASOTRECOL ESCALATED THEIR PROTESTS AND LAUNCHED A HUNGER-STRIKE BYSEWING THEIR LIPS SHUTGM AGREED TO MEDIATION FOR 11 OF THE ORIGINAL 68 WORKERS, BUT TALKS ENDED INCONCLUSIVLY AUGUST 31ST, THAT’S WHY JORGE PARRA, THE PRESIDENT OF ASOTRECOL, TRAVELED TODETROIT, AND DECIDED TO LAUNCH HIS SECOND HUNGER-STRIKE ON SEPTEMBER 3.DESPITE THE NOW HIS 3RD 70 DAY HUNGER-STRIKE, GM SPOKESPERSON KATIE MCBRIDE SAYS THE COMPANY WON’T NEGOTIATE FURTHER BECAUSE THE WORKERSREJECTED THEIR FINAL OFFER AT THE TIME OF MEDIATION. CLIP: ““We’ve offered $150,000 in programs for the workers, and theirfamilies and about 15 months of their average monthly salaries, about15 months of healthcare and pension benefits and two years of highereducation. Our offers were very generous, so I’m not sure where he’scoming from. From our perspective it was a very generous series ofoffers. “BUT JORGE PARRA SAYS THEY REJECTED THE OFFER BECAUSE ITS INSUFFICIENTTO COVER THEIR MEDICAL EXPENSES, INCLUDING HIS OWN.CLIP”With that amount of money I won’t be able to have my surgery, its notenough. Its not only the surgery its therapy.And supporting my family.Also what’s most critical is that my surgeon told me I could end up ina wheel-chair.MCBRIDE STRONGLY DEFENDED THE COMPANY’S HANDLING OF THENEGOTIATIONS.CLIP:”From our perspective, we have done due diligence. We made a series ofgood faith to respond to the group’s concerns. We visited the plant tovalidate healthy working conditions, we helped select the third partymediator, we have offered the group training, funding and otherresources so they can return to productive work again and care fortheir families. And despite these active steps to address theirconcerns, some of them continue to make demands outside the legal andmediation process, and we can’t do that. “BUT PARRA AND HIS SUPPORTERS DOUBT JUSTICE CAN BE ACHIEVED THROUGH THECOLOMBIAN LEGAL SYSTEM; TRADE UNIONISTS ARE MURDERED WITH IMPUNITY. IN 2012, AT LEAST 29 TRADE UNIONISTS WERE MURDERED. PARRA SAYS THE CAMPAIGN OF CIVIL DISOBEDIENCE IS NEEDED TO FORCE GMBACK TO NEGOTIATING TABLE.“We have demonstrated the corruption of the legal system in Colombia”Where unfortunately, as I was mentioning, that doesn’t exist.What we have shown General Motors, and with the strike in front of the embassy.It was simply a different type of struggle they were not expecting.Which is to show to the people, to society, what they were doing.Its not for the judges, or to our government, both of which arecontrolled by Money”DESPITE CONCERNS FOR HIS FAILING HEALTH, PARRA HAS VOWED TO CONTINUETHE HUNGER-STRIKE UNTIL GM NEGOTIATES A JUST SETTLEMENT. REPORTING FOR THE REAL NEWS, THIS IS JAISAL NOOR IN DETROIT.
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