Press release

Argentina: Victoria Moyano Artigas, daughter of the disappeared, violently arrested

08/08/2014 Heroic struggle of the Lear workers: A fight against the imperial corporation, the sold-out union, the State and its repressive forces

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After twelve court rulings in favor of the Lear workers shop floor stewards, the Ministry of Labor announced that it would enforce the courts´ (many times confirmed) decision that compels the bosses to reinstate the shop floor stewards (union delegates).

However, the multinational corporation responds to every conquest of the workers with a new attack. Yesterday, the gates of the plant were closed and the facilities remained militarized. This lockout was possible thanks to the delay in enforcing the courts´ decisions. (Twelve rulings were needed for the Ministry of Labor to get moving!) The complicity of the Ministry and the SMATA union is thus blatantly exposed. In addition, no ruling was made regarding the rest of the laid-off workers.

But the fired workers are standing tall and fighting bravely. During the week, they have continued spreading the news of the conflict and seeking support from the community. This wide support in a united front with other sectors of the labor movement, the students´ and human rights´ organizations and the Left is underpinning the workers strength. Our party, the PTS (Partido de los Trabajadores Socialistas) has been at the forefront from the beginning of the conflict.

Today a new (the fifth) National Day of Action took place for the reinstatement of all the workers laid off by Lear. During a peaceful car caravan along the “Panamericana” Highway, the Gendarmerie stopped a car, broke the windows, threw pepper spray inside and violently arrested the people inside. The detainees are: (1) Victoria Moyano Artigas, daughter of the disappeared*, (2) Guillo Pistonesi, member of the CeProDh (Center of Professionals for the Human Rights), Patricio Del Corro, elected Legislator for the Left Front in Buenos Aires City, and (4) María Chaves, teacher at the Buenos Aires University (UBA), researcher and women´s rights activist.

*Daughter of activists kidnapped and murdered by the last military dictatorship, born in captivity and recovered after being raised by the “Abuelas de Plaza de Mayo”.