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• Support the Argentine uprising against poverty and debt • Cancel the debt to the IMF and banker... • Support the Argentine uprising against poverty and debt • Cancel the debt to the IMF and banker...
• Support the Argentine uprising against poverty and debt • Cancel the debt to the IMF and banker...

Stop the intimidation of Zanon ceramics factory workers, their
families and supporters


On Friday 4th February at 11:30am the wife of a Zanon worker was abducted by four men and

suffered cuts, beating and verbal threats before being released to “give the Union the message”.

This is not an isolated event – there have been threats against a judge who is acting in the case
of Pepe Alveal, a young Zanon worker who lost his left eye as a result of police violence last
October during an unemployment organisation meeting; against Jesús Escobar, an opposition
provincial MP; and against Alejandro Gómez and Raúl Godoy, trade union officer and general

secretary respectively of the Neuquén Ceramic Workers Trade Union (SOECN).

Zanon Ceramics Factory in Neuquén Province, Argentina, has been run by its workers for more
than three years. The workers have managed not only to keep their own jobs, but also to create
many new jobs. They have strong links with the local Mapuche people and with the local
community. Their struggle has become a beacon to workers throughout Argentina, especially to

those in workplaces run by workers themselves.

The Zanon workers have resisted many threats in the last three years – the state has tried to re-
possess the factory so it can be returned to the previous owner (who had deserted the factory). It
has been trying to do this both by force, and through the courts. Each time the Zanon workers
have succeeded in keeping control of the factory, with the help of the local trade unions, human

rights organisations, and the local population.

On 27th February a death threat was left on Raúl Godoy’s answering machine. The Zanon
workers do not know who initiated this. The Minister of Labour and Security of the Province of
Neuquen said on 3rd March that, according to anonymous former agents, it was a conspiracy by
SIDE (the Argentine Intelligence Service). He also made a speech some months ago in which he
referred to opponents of the Governor of Neuquén Province as ‘delinquents’ who should be

prosecuted.

The Zanon workers have reached no conclusions yet as to who is behind the kidnapping of their
colleague’s wife, an appalling act which is reminiscent of the ‘dirty war’ during the military

dictatorship in the 70’s.

They called a rally, and 2,000 people, including many members of trade unions and human rights
organisations, demonstrated in Neuquén, the provincial capital, on Friday 4th March. A press
conference is being held in Buenos Aires on Monday 7th March at 6pm local time. They have
also called a protest outside the ‘Casa de Neuquén’ (the office of Neuquén Province in Buenos
Aires city). The local CTA (Trade Union Confederation), along with local trade unions, political

parties and social organisations, has called for a provincial general strike on Tuesday 8th March.

We are asking you to send a letter expressing concern to the Argentine Embassy in London:


65 Brook Street,
London, W1K 4AH
Phone: + (44) 2073181300
Fax: + (44) 20 73181301

Please send messages of solidarity (in any language) urgently to:

prensaobrerosdezanon@neunet.com.ar preferably with a copy to:
argentinesolidarity@yahoo.co.uk


You can follow events at the Argentina Solidarity Campaign website: www.argentinasc.org.uk

ARGENTINA SOLIDARITY CAMPAIGN
6th March 2005

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