Tuesday, December 13, 2005

Take action for the Bauen Hotel workers attacked in Parliament

The recuperated workplaces in Argentina are the beginnings of a model for a future society. Their successes could eventually inspire campaigns for workers' democratic rights around the world - if they aren't nipped in the bud first. Hotel Bauen is one of the most visible worker managed workplaces and serves as a meeting place for various progressive movements in the country. If the government succeeds in restoring hierarchical rule it will be a serious blow to the project of worker control in Argentina. See the context and action planned for this Thursday below.

ARGENTINA: HOTEL WORKERS ATTACKED

Early on Dec. 8, a delegation of 12 cooperative members from the
autonomous worker-controlled Bauen hotel were violently ousted from the
Buenos Aires municipal legislature as they sought to attend a debate
concerning their dispute with the hotel's former owners. A larger group
of Bauen workers had been waiting for eight hours outside the
legislature, but when the debate finally began at around 2:30am, only 12
of the 60 workers remaining outside were allowed to enter the chambers,
even though the sessions are supposed to be open to the public.

Shortly after the debate began, the 12 Bauen workers--most of them
women--began to whistle their disapproval at deputy Mario Morando,
author of a bill which seeks to return the Bauen hotel to the Iurcovich
family, its original owners. Legislature president Santiago de Estrada
responded by ordering the workers removed. Nearly 50 police agents
arrived and attacked the 12 Bauen workers, beating them and spraying
some kind of irritant gas in their eyes. After the workers were ejected
from the chambers, the legislature continued its discussion, finally
approving the creation of a commission of seven deputies to head a
four-month negotiation process between the worker cooperative and the
former owners. The workers' cooperative is determined to maintain its
control of the hotel. [ANRed 12/8/05 via Resumen Latinoamericano] The
owners shut down the hotel in 2001. Two years later, 40 of the original
workers reoccupied it and opened it for business; the workers'
cooperative that runs it now has 150 members. [Resumen Latinoamericano
12/10/05]

From:
WEEKLY NEWS UPDATE ON THE AMERICAS
ISSUE #828, DECEMBER 11, 2005
NICARAGUA SOLIDARITY NETWORK OF GREATER NEW YORK
339 LAFAYETTE ST., NEW YORK, NY 10012
(212) 674-9499




EMAIL FLOOD PLANNED FOR THURSDAY, DEC. 15 TO SAVE THE BAUEN!

Please forward widely, and send the email at the bottom on THURSDAY, DEC.15

We are looking for a huge, international flood on Thursday, but email after that date will still help!

BACKGROUND
At 2 a.m. on Wednesday December 6, the Buenos Aires city Legislature passed a law that will in effect evict the workers' cooperative at the Hotel Bauen. This law, which was voted on by 29 legislators, "invents" a boss for a workplace without bosses.

When the workers decided to occupy the hotel to demand their unpaid salaries, the Hotel Bauen was bankrupt and the company had millions of dollars in debt, among them, the cost of the building located at 360 Callao.

As the ownership of the building was in dispute (the person who had bought the building paid only 4 of the 12 million peso price, and the person who sold it promised to return the 4 million and never came through) the hotel was legally without anyone to take care of it. So the workers decided to put it back into operation.

They started to work with nothing but the strength of their conviction. Now there are 140 men and women who maintain the hotel, 24 hours a day, opening a space for meetings, assemblies and social movement events, all entirely out of solidarity.

Ignoring all of their efforts, the Legisture decided to approve a law that ignores the dictates of justice and attempts to destroy all of the work that the cooperative has put into the hotel. Despite the workers' protest at the time of the vote, the legislators ordered their eviction. They threw them out with batons and tear gas.

Now, the workers demand that the head of the Buenos Aires city government - Jorge Telerman, veto the law. The veto must take place within 15 days of when the law was passed.

If Mr. Telerman does not veto the law, the workers may be evicted.

ACTION
Next Thursday December 15th at 2pm, the workers at the Hotel Bauen are marching to Jorge Telerman's office to demand that this law be annulled.

To support the Bauen workers cooperative, we are asking that you email the message below ON THURSDAY to this email address:



Señor Jorge Telerman:

Hoy el destino del Hotel Bauen, recuperado por sus trabajadores, está en sus manos. Miles de personas en el mundo lo están mirando. Vete la ley que consagra la impunidad de los empresarios inescrupulosos y apoye a los 140 hombres y mujeres que todos los días están demostrando cómo construir trabajo digno en ese espacio que es modelo de eficiencia y solidaridad.


TRANSLATION:
Mister Jorge Telerman:

Today the destiny of the Hotel Bauen, recovered by its workers, is in your hands. Thousands of people all over the world are watching. VETO the law that creates impunity for the unscrupulous impresarios and support the 140 men and women that each day show how to create dignified work in this place that is a model of efficiency and solidarity.

AND IF YOU HAVEN'T ALREADY....

Sign the petition in support of the Hotel Bauen workers!


The petition will be submitted as part of the campaign
.

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