PÙBLICO & CONFIDENTIAL / Damian Prat C.
Thursday, March 27, 2008
And the minister?: A tour in Brazil

  Workers in aluminium marched in the streets on Wednesday. It is significant that they have joined the six unions of the four CVG companies in the sector, including the two unions professionals Venalum and Bauxilum. Only absent from the protest a few internal political sectors. The protest was peaceful and even was organized to avoid causing undue problems for the rest of the citizens. Trade union leaders aluminium seem to have realized that their relationship must care with the rest of the community. The remaining task for not continue turning its back on all of the social problems, such as insecurity, inflation, shortages, the disaster of utilities that also affects them, their families, their neighbors. But that is the subject of another time. The truth is claiming a large number of debts industrial CVG, Mibam and businesses have with them. Certainly, it is not the fault of the workers that these companies are bankrupt. As I said quite rightly a trade union leader yesterday: "10 years ago the only one of these companies that had red numbers was Alcasa. Gave other benefits. Alcasa Today is much more serious and the other joined the list of serious losses" . That truth I would add two more: 1 .- 4 years ago gave Venalum earnings Like Bauxilum (Carbonorca not know). And just from that date, the world price of aluminum soared to more than double, ie today should be buoyant and enjoying their best result ever, but the fact is that now they are bankrupt. 2 .- The financial and economic disaster of such enterprises occurs despite the fact that workers have fulfilled their production goals set, at least in the cases of Venalum and Alcasa. And the disproportionate increase in costs does not stem from excessive work benefits. So, it is not the fault of workers the current chaos.

  "Alcasa not have the money to pay full these days. Le missing 10 billion", I confessed a alcasiano yesterday afternoon. Where do they draw the money?, I ask him. "I do not know. Perhaps a loan or Edelca Ferrominera. Perhaps a bank overdraft, but I have heard that are changing the $ obtained by exports," he said. Inside many believe that the disaster has worsened as a result of the mess of the marketing policy and quotas that has affected the cash flow already precarious. Alcasa not you pay Edelca electricity that provides (half of production costs) or the cost of Bauxilum alumina. Venalum in the same spirit. Bauxilum is severely affected by this lack of payments and its own production problems. For the vendors of the four companies will be around. Like the contractors who make them different jobs. Only they did not trancan streets to make it appear as if the workers.

  And where is the brand new Mibam minister and president of CVG in the midst of this chaos? Official sources claim that spirit in Brazil touring with Chavez. And who attends disaster here? Nobody. The minister Sanz was meeting with the unions on Saturday prior to Easter. Did not attend. The left waiting, but I sent a message to meet on Thursday for Easter. What is expected from this strange call for a day like that? Does that unionists would remain for walking and he would have an excuse? The fact is that again left waiting. In one of the meetings sent to the deputy minister Hernandez, the same as director of Sidor representing the state never said anything different from the plans approved by Ternium. And he told them so-denounced Henry Arias of Sintralcasa-that "the blame for the failure of aluminium is for workers". 

  Rodolfo Sanz offered for Thursday 13 past would "point of mind" in Miraflores with the President to make decisions about aluminum. It was expected that meeting the "green light" to change the presidents of the four companies, as well as some extra money to catch up with liabilities labor. Nothing happened but Sanz did not say why. Some believe that the President postponed the meeting because "spirit busy solving the problems of Ecuador, Colombia, Nicaragua, Cuba, as well as their serious problems PSUV." Even someone assures me that "Sanz went to Brazil because Chavez promised that during the flight he would be on account of point Guiana." Despite the paralysis and silence from Venalum tell me that the chairman of the factory were dismissed yesterday of his closest collaborators.

  TIPS ... Yesterday afternoon there was a lengthy meeting between leaders of Sutiss and trade unions of aluminum with the exception of a portion of Chavismo more gobiernero. They are trying to find ways to build each other ... Oddly, against all evidence and all the facts, despite all the attacks that have been subjected by the government, a sector of Sutiss remains committed to talking about nationalization and make "winks" from the high government complicity. .. Is Fear? Is Search perks and arrangements behind the interest of the worker? Several unionists aluminium are upset with this attitude, and as far as I know, some expressed annoyance that at the meeting ... I even have several leaders expressed their dismay. "They do not realize that the main adversary of the trade union movement in Guyana at the moment is the government, which wants to liquidate the struggles, trade unions and the same benefits conquered. Must be hanging out with foot of lead" ... Within Sutiss and What many people do not share this "gobiernerismo" flatterer but not demanding or marked distances. They fear that even the grupitos radicalized imposed on Sutiss strikes outside their own plan ... The story that I know suggests that such actions invariably lead to painful and costly defeats. In Sutiss same-when I was Atiss-there is a history in this regard ... The struggle of sidoristas for a good collective agreement is completely fair. I wrote it over and over again. Some workers confuse justice of this claim and that struggle with extreme actions that are counterproductive ... One thing is not knowing how to fight and do so with other wisdom and skill. To have reason to know and gain are not always the same thing. Not with the liver and the anger with which the battles are won. It is in the heart and brain.