Brazil Ford workers win one
By John
Catalinotto
The Ford Motor Co. agreed Feb. 2 to suspend 2,800 layoffs
that had sparked an intense struggle by auto workers in
Brazil.
For weeks the 6,500 workers at the Sao Paolo plant occupied
the factory. With their struggle they also won a remarkable
show of solidarity from auto workers of the entire region.
Those who had been laid off and those still employed stuck
together for the entire time. Although the auto workers offered
to keep the lines going, Ford at first stopped all production
at the plant.
Not only did the Ford workers stay strong and united, but
workers from Volkswagen and other plants in the region backed
their job action. There were mass marches, car caravans and
contributions to help the Ford workers and their families
survive and finally win their battle.
Brazil's disastrous slide into the expanding world
capitalist crisis has shrunk its internal market for cars. This
provoked Ford's initial layoffs. But the drop in the value of
the Brazilian currency, the real, has increased the market in
neighboring countries for the cars produced at this plant. This
gave the workers confidence that their demands would be
met.
Union leaders know that Ford's decision to suspend layoffs
may be only temporary. Still, the Sao Paolo auto workers have
set an excellent example for workers everywhere. Brazilian
workers will have to combat more layoffs that are sure to
follow the government's submission to the International
Monetary Fund's austerity plan. (Based on reports in the
Italian daily Il Manifesto, Feb. 3.)
This article is copyright under a Creative
Commons License.
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