Colombia: Urgent Appeal for Solidarity from the UITBB

Urgent Appeal from the UITBB  for union solidarity with the workers of the Ladrillera Candelaria LTDA brick kiln in the Municipality of Cali, Colombia. Workers of the Ladrillera Candelaria LTDA on strike since May 12, 2010. Knowing the situation in Colombia, where every year dozens of trade unionists and labor activists are murdered by paramilitaries in the service of the class ruling the country, it is urgent to express our solidarity with the workers of the Ladrillera Candelaria brick kiln who, after the non payment of their salaries for three months, went on strike risking their safety and their lives. The UITBB asks for the prompt satisfaction of the fully justified workers demands, including their social and employment rights and for the respect of the trade union rights, including the right to strike. Nothing justifies the progressive closure of a viable enterprise that provides their livelihood to 70 workers and their families. Send your messages expressing solidarity with the workers to: Dr. Omar Adolfo Figueroa, Director Nacional de Estupefacientes: This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it with a copy to SUTIMAC This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it SUTIMAC CALI " This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it and UITBB Secretariat: This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it Facts 70 workers from the Ladrillera Candelaria LTDA brick kiln in the municipality of Cali, Colombia, are on strike since May 12 to protest against the delayed payment of wages (more than three months) and other serious Labour Code violations. As indicated by shop steward Albeiro Ramirez from SUTIMAC (Sole Union of Building Materials Workers of Colombia, affiliated to the UITBB and the WFTU), the company has not paid any contribution to social security for 18 months, it refuses to make available to the workers clothing and tools, it removed more than a year ago the child benefit allowance. The Ladrillera Candelaria brick kiln has been a prosper company producing clay bricks and tiles for 20 years until it was placed in receivership in April 2004 by the Dirección Nacional de Estupefacientes (DNE) [National Office of Fight against Drugs], a branch of the Colombian Ministry of Interior and Justice following a trial for drug trafficking s, and after Jose Luis Muñoz Sinesterra was appointed director by the DNE. SUTIMAC shop steward, Albeiro Ramirez,has it clear: the new mission of the appointed manager is to liquidate the firm even when it is profitable and has no difficulty in selling its entire production of 2400 tons per month of renowned high quality bricks. The 70 bricklayers, whose jobs are threatened and may find themselves with no income and no chance of finding employment, even asked the business to be entrusted to them under lease. The proposal was rejected by the manager. "Our only alternative is to continue the strike until the DNE finds a solution. To date we have survived thanks to aids and savings, but these are now exhausted. We could not pay our rents; we have debts, which is why we appeal urgently to the labor movement Solidarity to help us to persevere in our just struggle ", say the strikers by the voice of their representative.