-What were the obstacles hindering
negotiations?
-Management wanted us to first of all
discuss the wage increase, and then all
other contractual matters, leaving to a
committee the consideration of the issue
of retirement benefits, which in their
proposal was to be dealt with last.
Seeing that it was taking too long to
come to an agreement and that the term
for negotiations was coming to an end,
we sought an extension to continue
discussions. We thought it was time to
bring fresh wind to this negotiation, so
we’ve decided to extend the term, but
only until January 20, 2007 –management
wanted to push it to the 31st
of that month-, to reach an agreement on
retirement benefits, which will continue
to be the first and foremost issue of
our mobilization.
-Why January 20?
-That date was not chosen on a whim, but
rather marks the point at which the 58
sugar mills of the 15 Mexican states are
milling at 100 percent of their
capacity, as opposed to the situation
now, where only three mills are working
at that capacity. If by that date we
have not secured the industry’s
agreement to pay the retirement
benefits, the strike will break out
again.
-What was the response of the workers to
the strike?
-We can proudly say that our entire
union observed the strike. Not one
single worker went in to work at any of
the mills covered by this strike which,
I repeat, involved 58 mills throughout
the country. Moreover, and as proof that
this break is not caused by our being
worn down or discouraged, we’ve obtained
full payment of the wages and benefits
corresponding to the days we were on
strike.
-How was the strike affected by the fact
that simultaneously the Third Latin
American Conference of Sugar Industry
Workers was taking place in Mexico City?
-The Conference came at a very good
time, because sugar workers from all the
other countries of Latin America agreed
to fully support our union. And the
hundreds of telegrams and e-mails that
were sent to the Presidency of the
Republic, as well as to the Ministries
of Labor and of Agriculture, signaled to
us that we were in a position of great
strength to grant this extension. We’ve
roared, and we might still show all our
claws. Negotiations will continue as of
next week, but today, Tuesday the 28th,
we will meet with the Minister of Labor
of the incoming government, Javier
Lozano Alarcón.
-How did international solidarity
contribute to this conflict?
