| We support the struggle of the Sugar Cane Workers Union for the right to a pension On September 26 of this year, Dominican President Luis Abinader announced that his government would recognize the right to a pension for 1610 retired sugarcane workers. These pensions would be added to the more than four thousand won by the Sugar Cane Workers Union (UTC) over the last eleven years, during which they have carried out hundreds of mobilizations. Historically, a significant percentage of the workers in the sugar industry have been Haitian immigrants. Two months after the announcement, the government has not fulfilled its promise of prompt payment. On the contrary, the UTC denounces police harassment, divisive maneuvers in the Directorate of Pensions and Retirement, attempts by the authorities to attack the union organization and pressure workers to negotiate payment in installments, instead of paying the 1610 pensions en bloc. This is part of a general situation of discrimination and violation of the rights of Haitian immigrant workers and a permanent attack on union liberties. As union, social and political leaders, we stand in solidarity with the UTC’s demand for immediate payment of the pensions owed to those who spent decades of their lives working in the sugar industry at super-exploitation wages and making legal contributions to social security. Also, that the police stop following up on the UTC’s mobilizations and its interference in union affairs. Dominican Republic Socialist Movement of Workers (MST) Socialist Revolutionary Militancy (MRS) Hugo Cedeño, former president of FAPROUASD Raquel RodrÃguez Rivera, Mirabal Sisters Feminist Movement Marcos Adames, socialist militant Radhames Mendoza, activist Brazil Baba, leader of the Socialist Workers’ Current (CST) and PSOL councillor in Rio de Janeiro Adriano Dias, Opposition to the Post Office union, member of the state executive board of the Csp-Conlutas union in Rio de Janeiro Diego Vitello, leader of the Sao Paulo Subway Workers’ Union and the Csp-Conlutas Bárbara Sinedino, member of the management of the Sepe union of Rio de Janeiro Bruno da Rosa, leader of the Cipa Gari union in Rio de Janeiro Bernarda Thailana, general coordinator of the union SINTUFF Pedro Rosa, leader of the union SINTUFF Gerson Da Silva Lima, general coordinator of SINTSEP-Pará Joao Carlos Santiago, Finance Coordinator of SINTSEP-Pará Zila Camarão, UFPA worker, FASUBRA Coordinator Valdenise Pinheiro Ribeiro, Director of FASUBRA Cirlene Coelho, General Coordinator of SINTUFF Adolpho Ferreira, member of the management of the SEPE trade union in Rio de Janeiro Bruno Melo, General Coordinator of SEPE-Regional V Varvara Seabra, member of SEPE-Niterói Jaqueline Pinto, SEPE Maricá’s coordinator Raquel Polidoro and Francisco de Payla, members of the UFRJ opposition union Rômulo Lourenço, Professor of the Minas Gerais State Network Fabiano Brunes, Banrisul bank worker and union delegate Matheus Schneider, Professor of RS and director of the 39th CPERS core Claudemir Teixeira, member of the Union of Bank Workers-MA Argentina Juan Carlos Giordano, national deputy elected to the Left and Workers’ Front (FIT-U) of the Province of Buenos Aires, national leader of the Socialist Left (IS) Rubén “Pollo” Sobrero, General Secretary of the Western Section Railway Union Edgardo Reynoso, railway leader of the TBA-Sarmiento Branch Delegates Corps Monica Schotthauer, railroad delegate and elected national deputy of IS/FIT Angélica Lagunas, leader of ATEN Capital (Teachers) and councillor for Neuquén of the Socialist Left and the FIT Liliana Olivero, former Deputy for Córdoba of the Socialist Left/FIT Mariana Scayola (Secretary General of the Ademys-docentes Committee of the City of Buenos Aires) and Jorge Adaro (Assistant Secretary) Laura Marrone, CABA teacher leader and former IS-FIT legislator at CABA Ezequiel Peressini, former legislator for Córdoba, from Izquierda Socialista-FIT Mercedes Trimarchi, leader of the Isadora women’s group, and former legislator for Izquierda Socialista/FIT in Buenos Aires Province Haiti Wooldy Edson Louidor, Professor and researcher at the Pontifical Javeriana University of Colombia Collective #HaitiansRD USA Revolutionary Socialist Network Socialist Resurgence Socialist Core Freedom Socialist Party Connecticut Workers Crisis Response (CWCR) Frieda Afary, Alliance of Socialists of the Middle East and North Africa John Kirkland, member of the Carpenters’ Union, Local 167 Joey Ayoub, researcher John Reimann, former Recording Secretary of the Carpenters’ Union, Local 713 |
