DESDE EL DIA 11 DE OCTUBRE UN CENTENAR DE MINEROS DEL CARBON SE ENCUENTRAN A 800 METROS DE PROFUNDIDAD DENTRO DE LA MINA Y A 6 KM DE LA BOCA DE LA GALERIA. ASEGURAN QUE NO SALDRÁN A LA SUPERFICIE HASTA QUE HAYA SOLUCIONES PARA SUS RECLAMOS. SE TEME POR LAS CONSECUENCIAS PARA SU SALUD.
La población de la cuenca carbonífera está apoyando incondicionalmente las medidas tomadas en asambleas multitudinarias de mineros reclamando el mantenimiento de la fuente de trabajo y el mejoramiento de las condiciones laborales y salariales de los trabajadores.
A hundred coal miners have been 800 meters underground and 6km from the entrance since 11th October. The mine is at Rio Turbio, in Santa Cruz Province in Argentina. They pledge not to come to the surface until there is an answer to their demands. There are growing fears for their health.
The population of this coal bearing area is supporting them unconditionally, and their extreme measures were decided by popular assemblies of miners to do something to preserve their jobs and improve the working conditions and wages of the workers. Their demands also relate to the binding of production contracts in a collective agreement with ATE Río Turbio, maintaining subsidies without cutbacks so that the mine can continue working and the construction of a coal powered thermal plant to develop the area economically. The boss of the privately owned mine is the businessman Taselli, a Menem party follower, who, along with other such ‘entrepreneurs’ used their connections to acquire privatised corporations for just ONE PESO (that is one US DOLLAR).
To send your support and solidarity to these comrade miners in struggle:
Fax to: (54) 0290 242 13 18
Write by letter to: Sindicato ATE, Seccional Rio Turbio, Avenida de los Mineros 641, RIO TURBIO – Provincia de Santa Cruz, ARGENTINA
Or E-mail: negrate@oyikil.com.ar
Translated from report by LATINA Asociación Latinoamericana de Cooperación latinacoop@hotmail.com.
