Beyond the official speech on the urgency of the electrical rationing, extinguished in Sidor of production that close in Alcasa and Venalum closes a plagued year of vicissitudes for the operative maintenance of the basic companies, the nationalized ones the median and the lines and the furnaces network of small train of the zone. The lack of social dialogue, the invasion of partisan figures in the factories with the intention of reducing the union battle area, the judgments to leaders, the effects of the policy of estatizaciones, paralysis of legal instruments caused by the Constitution of the Bolivariana Republic of Venezuela and increase of unemployment explains a panorama of high confliction. Mail of the Caroní presents/displays in this last edition of the year an analysis of the events that formed the scaffolding of an ideological political project that it tries to impregnate the labor relations in the industrial sector. Although the film was extensive, the integral study of the cases allows to conclude that the 2010 will be key for the definition of the game rules and, at the same time, scene of dramatic a second part of films.

Carnation A. Rangel Jiménez
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Photo Rangel Carnation

Uncertainty on the viability of the industry reaches to workers

Until the electrical sector, one of the most stable groups in labor matter, was affected close by the delay - during more than 1 year of the unique collective hiring for the electrical industry.

The part more hard of everything what it was lived in this year that takes leave is in which just is released this 1 of January of 2010.

To pay debts, to discuss contracts, to deepen the bolivariano political project, to found a new industry, to reconstruct the industrial park and to walk compulsorily towards the socialism that it tries to construct the Executive - with the consensus of the political class that directs in the companies it is what it is expected for this new year.

The social dialogue in labor matter was fraction, to a large extent, by the exclusion of the dissident leaders who wanted to participate in the discussion of the industry that is wanted for Guayana, but were not incorporated.

The installation of the tables of discussion in the companies was an excellent opportunity to deepen the debate behind closed doors. Nevertheless, that window was closed for a thickness of the workers.

The differences of a company or another one, in the extension of the debate, stand out. And although there were positive balances in CVG Alcasa with the permanent tables and in Sidor with the incorporation of the workers, in other factories the tables contributed to the conformation of new cupolas of power where the transcendental aspects of the life of the workers were decided.

From the Executive it was wanted to equal the participation of the leaders of the Socialist Party Together with of Venezuela (PSUV) the one of all the workers, supposing that what decided the political organization counted on the support of the working union movement.

Crisis as it excuses
The “sinceración” of the reality of the industries was the argument that used minister of Basic Industries and Minería (Mibam), Rodolfo Sanz, to allege the lack of money to pay to the workers of companies that - according to the official speech they do not produce to stay.

Nevertheless, during the 2009 one stayed the incorporation and the engordamiento of a managemental class that was concerned from the center of the country.

The great critic of the workers continues being who, to the front of the companies, are civil servants who do not know the industry aluminum, iron and steel; what consequently it has helped to that the operative and managemental crisis is deepened.

Sanz insisted on which the companies do not produce, but the high production costs product of the swelling of the lists from their arrival to Guayana have not received the correct treatment, judging by the declarations of the employees in the inner doors.

In the protests, Mail of the Caroní was witness of the capacity of demobilization that the Executive obtained, from the policy of the fear and the threats of dismissals towards “güarimberos” and “contrarrevolucionarios”.

Agenda 2010
Nor what to say than it is expected for the 2010. The year that enters comes loaded from amount of challenges in labor matter.

Slopes are the structuring of the Corporation of Aluminum, Iron and Steel, and in this way the discussion of the collective hirings that as much bring of head the union organizations.

It will be to see which is the paper of the unions in “the revolutionary” project political of president Hugo Chavez and the recovery of each one of the companies that they define - in great part to Guayana.

The weak project of reform of the Statutory law of the Work is about to rise to consideration of the great public, because the rate that imprimió the Commission of Social Development of the National Assembly was paralyzed without previous warning, apparently by indications of Miraflores.

Critics to the “privileges” of the workers

President Hugo Chavez in his visit to City To cheep the 6 of March raised to dust in the union movement guayanés. In its speech it hard sent against the union leaders and the workers who want “to be rich” and to have more and more benefits than - for the President they are privileges.

The hard speech of the top agent chief executive raised “roncha” until in the leaders of the PSUV that asked president Chávez who rectified.

There it announced the constitution of the Corporations of the Aluminum, Iron and Steel, that took shape months later. “I am not going to leave sink the companies of the sector aluminum, already I have a plan”, said Chávez in that one speech.

The 6 of February of 2009 the creation of the National Iron and steel Corporation by means of the Decree Nº 6,614 had been made official, published in the Official Newspaper Nº 39.115; whereas the Corporation of Aluminum was made official through Decree Nº 6,988, published in the Official Newspaper Nº 39,314 of the November of 2009.

Those tons of aluminum…

2,063 tons of aluminum abrieron the pot of the corruption in the industry. The 23 of March, few days after president Hugo Chavez said that he would end the corruption in aluminum, were found the shipment in the wharf of Palúa.

It was generated little commotion but null action. The Office of the public prosecutor Third of the Public Ministry engavetó the case. Nevertheless, the corruption with the quotas of aluminum is an open secret in the industry, a business in which is immersed from high civil servants to simple workers.

The first Bs.F. 410 million

At the end of April president Hugo Chavez finally talked about the critical situation of the companies in national chain. Although that day did not announce the plan that had promised at the end of 2008 - and promised in March yes it informed on a financial aid of Bs.F. 410 million. These resources did not arrive immediately and again they were delayed.

The investment became a water bucket in the Orinoco river. According to the accounts - between which it must and what one requires the 410 million strong bolivars represent a 5% of the debt that is had with small workers and medians companies.

The “estatizador frenzy”

The 21 of May president Hugo Chavez surprised all. In an act with the union leaders of the PSUV in Guayana, the top agent chief executive announced the estatización of Matesi, Comsigua, Orinoco Iron, Venprecar, Tavsa and Cerámica Carabobo.

Until the moment the purchase shareholder has not taken shape in any of the companies, although it already overcame the term stipulated in the Official Newspaper Nº 39,220 of Tuesday 14 of 2009 July.

The official document establishes the creation of a technical commission to decide justiprecio with 60 days continuous of operation, deferrable for 60 days more. The time happened and justiprecio of the goods was not agreed.

The economic recession has attempted against the national project of the commander Hugo Chavez. In that meeting with the leaders, the Chief of State overflowed in flatteries to the working-class and gathered part of the speech that she gave in City To cheep.

That was the first passage for the restoration of the Plan Socialist Guayana 2019 with the exhibition of the factory “Towards the socialist transformation of the basic companies” and the collective convention of Ferrominera Orinoco was signed (FMO).

Unions Unnecessary?

In the edition of the 19 of June of 2009, the political adviser of the PSUV, Alberto Red Müller, declared exclusively to Mail of the Caroní that from the theoretical conception of the socialism the unions are not necessary.

“The union in the socialist society loses reason of being, because they are not going to fight the workers against the same workers. There would not be the dialectic capital-work, or Capitalism-work to correct, because the capital will be always a production factor”, explained.

For Müller, “the socialist company has a sense similar to the capitalist companies, the fundamental difference that there is in the aims of the company, that does not have profit aims, in the sense of accumulation of capital for the proprietors and the relation that settles down in the social scope where it operates the company and the same company”.

Their declarations then raised stir, days before, had become public that in the document of Socialist the Guayana Plan demonstrated the elimination of the unions.

“Sabotages” in the socialist Sidor

At the beginning of June a fire in the cellars of Midrex II of the Iron and steel of the Orinoco (Sidor) produced political confrontations, due to the accusation that became - from the management of a possible “sabotage” to the factory.

Union leaders accused the political opposition of the steel mill of to have perpetrated the supposed crime. The incident reduced the production - until the last trimester of 2009 - to a 50%, because the area was affected that provides 75% of the raw material to the steel mills.

The fact marked the beginning of a serious one of operative disadvantages that placed in check the productivity of Sidor and determined, for evil, the surpluses of box of 2009.

Mobilization of the sector aluminum

The 12 of July workers of the sector aluminum sent a shout of alert for the industry. The mobilization extended during all the week of that month, generating like unpublished fact the union of the leaders of the PSUV and the dissidents of the revolutionary project.

The actions detonated by the noncancellation of the interests of social benefits, an important payment that occurs to the workers in the middle of year. That, plus the disinvestment in the basic companies mobilized to an ample group of workers with the slogan of investments for the industry, and a fort rejection to the “bureaucracy”.

The sector of the PSUV maintained like slogan the exit of the holder of the Mibam, Rodolfo Sanz, but this fact did not take shape. In the mobilization also they were in evidence the internal struggles within the PUSV, because two fractions of the official bureau, the allies of Sanz and the Governor left in relief their differences.

Divided and without kicking

The days of protest culminated with the declarations of the minister Sanz, who announced the 16 of July the divided payment of the interests of benefits and zero investments. That one plan of the minister was objected by the leadership and untied the fury.

The mobilization until the CVG untied the wrath of the workers and finally the Government yielded to that the interests were cancelled in two great parts.

Jose Gil and Ángel Marcano, deputies of the PSUV and all the leadership that participated severely were criticized, even from the official mass media that during those days were used to deny the mobilizations in Guayana.

They were labeled as güarimberos contrarrevolucionarios and, but finally the reconciliation arrived at the estates of the “process”.

Labor accident paralyzes Sidor

Few days after the mobilizations of aluminum, the death of Bastard Lucercio in Sidor shocked to the steel mill. The labor accident triggered unemployment of 24 hours the 20 of 2009 July, in order to demand to the own president of Sidor and holder of the Mibam, Rodolfo Sanz, investments for the iron and steel, because the accident of Bastard sufficiently was noticed.

The wreck generated the Labor mobilization of the equipment of the National Institute of Prevention, Health and Security (Inpsasel) to the region, where they executed the Guayana Agenda with the inspection in all the companies.

In that encounter with the workers, Sanz promised amount of meetings to solve, among others points, the liquid situation of the conduction list and gains.

Sidoristas warmed up the street by the liquid

The environs of the courts of Justice of Guayana City shone almost filled - like in old woman times the 23 with July. The hearing was delayed for the 6 of August and was then when the iron and steel movement was made feel with more force.

The workers defend the case of the liquid gains by the breach that was generated between 2003-2007 when Ternium - while it administered to Sidor with the consent of the State established like “expenses” resources that comprised of the gains, of that was due to distribute a 15% to the workers according to determines article to it 174 of the Statutory law of Trabajo (LOT).

The promise of the Chinese Bottom

With the Venezuelan Chinese Bottom under the sleeve president Hugo Chavez arrived at Ferrominera Orinoco (FMO) the 8 of August of 2009, where he announced the formalization and approval of Bs.F. 284,7 million, more 118 million dollars for the sector aluminum, whereas for Sidor promised Bs.F. 97,8 million and 4.4 million dollars.

A total of Bs.F. 382,6 million and 122.4 million dollars projected Chávez for the last trimester of 2009.

It specified that for the months of August, September, October and November the “minimum operations” with the payments for the companies of aluminum would be guaranteed. It approved the creation of the Institute of Popular Technology Luis Zambrano, Center of Metallurgical High tech and Political Ideological Center, as well as the installation of the offices of Social Contraloría in Guayana and the first advances of Socialist the Guayana Plan.

To date it is not known how much it has been executed of the resources of the Chinese Bottom.

Unemployment in Ferrominera Orinoco

The 11 of August began in Ferrominera Orinoco a paralyzation that extended by 16 days and that culminated with the agreements of the Secretary General of the Union of Workers of Ferrominera (Sintraferrominera), Rubén González, and the president of FMO, Radwan Sabbagh, in City To cheep.

The protest untied with greater force in the hill San Isidro, where the workers stayed firm in reclamation by bonds, retroactive and implementos of security, all contractual benefits of just signed collective hiring.

During the 16 days, strike was denied by the Executive and until by the own presidency of FMO. It was in the edition of the 12 of August of 2009 when it appeared in front page of Mail of the Caroní the graph that marked the agreement between the union leadership and Sabbagh, without knowing what days later it would provide to him to González.

They stop to Rubén González

24 of September civil service of the Body of Scientific researches, Penal and Criminologies (Cicpc) they apprehended to Rubén González, Secretary General of Sintraferrominera, while declaration rendered in soothes of the Main directorate of the Intelligence services and Prevention in City Bolivar in a case of corruption that is followed to him a politician of the zone.

The 28 of September the Court First of Control, in charge of judge Arsenio Lopez, dictated the measurement of house arrest.

To date the union leader remains private of freedom without the first hearing is realised. To him and another ten of workers he blames himself to him more of: agavillamiento, instigación to break the law, restriction to the freedom of the work and breach to the special regime of zones of security, according to the Statutory law of Security of the Nation in its articles 47 and 48.

New centers of criminalization

The 6 of October three workers and two leaders of the Union of Workers of CVG (SutraCVG) were stopped while they tried to realise a protest to draw attention of the president of the Venezuelan Corporation of Guayana (CVG), Rodolfo Sanz.

Ronald González, Secretary General of the union; Carlos Jaw, secretary of finances and the workers of the maintenance management: Angel Hundredth Adonis, Elvis Loran Azócar and Darwin Lopez remained during 24 hours to order of the Office of the public prosecutor Third.

To the 5:30 in the morning of that Tuesday the employees mobilized themselves until the pre-school one of the CVG in Chilemex to increpar to minister Sanz during the reinauguración of the establishment. Later effective minutes of the National Guard arrived until the place to stop the workers.

The protest initiated by the delivery of uniforms and other contractual benefits. The 7 of October workers were lazy in conditional freedom, while the crimes are investigated of: agavillamiento, instigación to break the law and obstruction to the freedom to the work.

Fortnights and utilities inopportunely

During the 2009 patent was made the delay and the difficulties of the Executive to be able to in time cancel the wage to the workers of the industry of aluminum. The most harmed they were those of CVG Carbonorca and CVG Bauxilum.

In CVG Alcasa the breach also appeared but the patience of the workers supported more. The delays also were lived with the payment of utilities in Sidor, which generated a paralyzation of 8 hours in the socialist steel mill.

Cooperatives imploraron payments

The members of a cooperative of Ferrominera Orinoco and CVG Bauxilum were those that protested more during the 2009, did not remain back the tercerizados workers of Matesi which they pressed, time and time again, for their incorporation to the areas.

The economic difficulties burst by most unprotected. In December patent became the reclamation of the contractors, who altogether with the cooperatives, demanded the Government who respected his wage. In Edelca the cooperatives of Caruachi, Macagua and the administrative building took the main ones you soothe with the aim of making racket and obtaining their payment in the 2009.

Hunger strike

The protest of the workers of ACBL of Venezuela changed the tonic. The 16 of December initiated the hunger strike to you would be them of the company, in order to press the contractual cancellation of utilities and other commitments.

The manifestation represented thousands of workers of contractors who during the 2009 did not receive nor a contribution to the debt that maintains the Executive with the small one and median company.

The companies that unload and transport the bauxite demanded the untenable thing of the accumulated debts by more than two years. The workers, in many cases, represented the employer deprived in the reclamation of the resources to the Executive.

For the 2010 still it is in prohibition the bauxite transport and unloading in the high season.

The sour cherry of the 2009

The 22 of December, to few days of that went away the 2009, integral of the cabinet of president Hugo Chavez announced the rationing of 560 megavatios in Guayana City, by means of the power cut to three companies of the industrial park.

Ministers Maria Cristina Churches (Work and Social Security), Rodolfo Sanz (Basic Industries and Mining) and Angel Rodriguez (Electrical Energy) explained the contingency of the dam of Guri, and so they justified the closing of lines I and II of CVG Alcasa, the desincorporación of 360 cells in CVG Venalum and the intervention of two furnaces in Sidor.

The measurement is perhaps the heaviest announcement of the national Government, because it is translated in the cut of the production of aluminum in 40%. On the measurement amount of doubts, especially if rests the industry returns to recover after the hard blow to the heart of the factories.

Affected auriferous production

The resolution Nº 09-04-03 of the Central bank of Venezuela (BCV) that modified the regime of gold commercialization and its alloys in April of 2009, generated controversy, because the new norms establish that of 70% of the national auriferous production destined to the internal market, 60% must be sold “obligatorily” the emitting being, whereas only a 10% are placed in the national transforming sector.

The norm published in the Official Newspaper Nº 39,169 of date 30 of April of 2009, establishes that for exports 30% of the national production will be destined, as long as being authorizes the emitting it.

Union leaderships of the south of the state Bolivar, where good part of the mining activity of the organization is concentrated, have assured that this resolution will repel in the bankruptcy of the companies, because now they will have to sell to the BCV to the official price of 2.15 bolivars strong by dollar.

Median and landslide small train

More than 14 communications they sent the small and medians companies of Guayana to the Venezuelan Corporation of Guayana (CVG) and to the Ministry of Basic Industries and Mining (Mibam) throughout 2009 to obtain answer on the millionaire debts of the state ones.

The damage to this important sector of the regional economy went in ascent month to month, and the Enterprise Alliance integrated by diverse organizations of industrialists did not receive response to its reclamations.

When as soon as the 2009 rose, after a 2008 in that the debts were present, the enterprise leaders visualized “a hard” year, and thus was.

In January of the 2009, minister of Basic Industries and Minería (Mibam), Rodolfo Sanz, it gave faith of the “quite positive balance” who presented/displayed the basic companies “in spite of difficult and complex situations that they have generated sectors competing to destabilize to the Guayana region”.

In that then, the crisis in the companies of Guayana - on everything in the sector aluminum it reached his peak, demonstrated in the delays in the payments to the personnel as well as to the lending companies of services and suppliers of parts and pieces, that were located by the order of the 500 million dollars.

The industralists agreed in which to continue the financial deterioration of the state ones, they put in risk near 40 thousand uses and the economic stability of the region.

By different routes, the Enterprise Alliance presented/displayed proposals of rescue of the industrial park and called to the mutual dialogue, but the approach never was obtained.

In March of 2009, by then the president of Federation of Cameras and Asociaciones of Commerce and Production of Venezuela (Fedecámaras), Jose Manuel González, needed that 45 median and industries 300 small companies that are based in Guayana had closed their doors, ending 4 thousand direct jobs and more than 12 thousand indirect places.

The “sacrifices” of the enterprise sector as well as of the workers stayed throughout the year and, although the industrialists are lost the account of the debts, they agree in that surpasses the 1,000 million dollars.

The few SMEs of Guayana City that still survive, work to 30% of their capacity, realising smaller works and “killing tigers”, after reductions of personnel, jammed capacity of indebtedness e, even, sale of assets to continue.

In December, when they hoped the payment of the debts to cancel the utilities to his workers, many had to remove from their own pocket, while others remained with the debt to load it to hills in the 2010.