(...) When AmBev bought Norteña in the year 2000, many of us said: Good news! The buyer is a Brazilian company, leader in the Latin American beer market, the third beer producer in the world and the seventh drink manufacturer worldwide. Our problems are solved, a large company steps in!

(...) But, we had a surprise! A few months ago AmBev told us that 45% of the market share had been lost; that recession in our country, in the area and in the region strikes hard; they talked about marketing strategies of competitors... well, arguments were plenty to justify the closure of the plant. Our big problems started then.

A time of distress commenced for the 150 families related to Norteña Union, because at present in Uruguay and in Paysandú, the loss of a labor source becomes a tragedy. We made a reflection with our fellow workers: for 50 years Norteña Union has written its history with pages of dignity and struggle, but the union has also been able to build up a social welfare program: the credit union, the medical clinic. There were visionary fellow workers who said: ‘Market basket costs have to be lowered’, and they put hard work in what is known as the shopping table. Others suggested: ‘It’s true, but it is increasingly difficult for our kids to have an education’, then a women’s group suggested: What about setting up a library?. Time went by and books were bought for our kiddies.

Now, when closure is being considered, what are we going to do with all the services guaranteed by the Union? You witnessed the support given by Paysandú shopkeepers. Behind it we have the Union, which gives out purchase orders to its members, an open credit line with the Union acting as collateral.

In view of the situation we wondered: What can we do? Then we did what all workers do and we headed towards the PIT-CNT Provincial Plenary and told them: ‘In Norteña this is what’s going to happen, because the accounts of our Brazilian friends do not close. When there’s no antimonopoly law like in Brazil or Argentina, the variables managed by such transnational companies are the workers. And they answered: Despite the difficulties we encounter with so many unions affected, we are at your disposal, comrades, you are in command’. We then went to the Drinks Industry Workers Union, the FOEB and we told our comrades: ‘It is becoming more difficult’. FOEB’s response was the one expected from people in the same side of the fence: ‘You keep your struggle and we are going to support you, we shall walk behind you’. This gave us a bit of encouragement, in such a dramatic and distressing situation for 150 families. Then we came to think it wouldn’t be enough, because no matter how ready they are for industrial action, we are aware this is a transnational company. A comrade said: ‘This is like David and Goliath’. He was right, this is the struggle of David against Goliath. But, what else can we do? We are going to see other Sister Organizations. And we resorted to FUCVAM, the Housing Co-ops. They told us: ‘Of course you can count on us comrades, keep your struggle’.

But it is not enough. We have to see what the authorities reply. We requested a meeting with the Mayor and he told us: ‘What time can you come?’ We briefed him and he offered all his support: ‘Our country and the province of Paysandú cannot resist the closure of another company’.

We turned to the labor relations committee to see the position of the city councilors, whose answer was: ‘In this issue, members of Parliament who are also members of the Industry Committee have to get involved, like Obispo and Melo; this committee is chaired by Accountant Mornelli. Other members of Parliament became interested like Domínguez, from the Chamber of Deputies, and Senator Larrañaga.

The magnitude of the response was important. We then felt we were not alone in the struggle, we had all PIT-CNT comrades with us, we had FOEB workers and the political spectrum of Paysandú, lead by the Mayor himself, supporting us. We asked ourselves: How can we disseminate relevant information of the conflict in Brazil? IUF participation resulted vital. Gerardo Iglesias, Regional Secretary of the International Union of Food Workers and his team set to work jointly with Norteña Union and we were able to transmit our problem to the Brazilian spheres. And we have to see what happened in Brazil. In Brazil, Siderlei de Oliveira, president of CONTAC (Federation of Food Workers in Brazil) gave us a big hand and told us he would contact us directly with the CUT. And the CUT are 20 million workers.

We must have a united approach in our discourse, but above all we must have a united and smart action. We don’t mean we are being that smart, but if we had not received all the support from the different actors mentioned herein, Norteña Union would be facing a brutal conflict.

We then considered: What approach should we have with the press? And we had an overwhelming response from the press. Norteña Union has had an unconditional support from the Paysandú press and from representatives of the national press.

(...) We then said: We are still not enough. The voice of some Don Quixote was heard then: ‘How about getting our families involved?’ It was an idea copied from other organizations which could be considered peculiar in their approach, like FUCVAM. And we had women in the meetings. And it was a revolutionary idea. Because women act and do not waste time in endless discussions, they go straight to the facts.

Members from the Social School got involved then, Lilian Toledo and Margarita Caruso and others who put forward: ‘Why don’t we have meetings, participate and give a hand to the Union?

Human solidarity was huge, support and political commitment were so great that we said: It’s going to be hard, of course it’s going to be hard, Goliath is still there but David is being sustained and surrounded by his partners now. David is more self-confident, David says: ‘We were going to fight for our jobs, we were 150 and thought we were so few. If we have the support from the FOEB, from the national and provincial PIT-CNT, from organizations like the IUF, the CONAC, the CUT, if we have the support from political actors, from the civil society, we are more successful and we have more chances of success.

We wish to be extremely careful with our positions, because Norteña families are distressed and feel anguish. We do not raise false expectations. The only thing we say is that thanks to the support we receive from everybody, we are not only ready to struggle but we feel the obligation to do it, and that is remarkable.

Citizens, men and women who support us, thank you very much.

Paysandú, 31 January, 2003.

Note:

 February 10^th last, AmBev officially informed the closure of the plant, the Union keeps on with its struggle.

Authorities and their addresses:

Mr. President of the Republic of Uruguay

Dr. Jorge Batlle

presidente@presidencia.gub.uy

 The Ministry of Labor and Social Security of Uruguay

Dr. Santiago Pérez del Castillo

webmtss@mtss.gub.uy

Director Human Resources AmBev

Mr. Mauricio Luchetti

acfesato@ambev.com.br

We appreciate your sending copies to uita@rel-uita.org and your prompt response and solidarity. We send you our union deepest consideration.