Through them it is the whole union movement that is under attack.
In a letter addressed to the Cicr (International Committee against Repression), the UGTG General Secretary, Elie Domota, has alerted labour and democratic opinion about the preparation of new court proceedings to be brought against leaders of his union. The Cicr considers it has a duty to denounce what can only be qualified as a forfeiture and represents a speeding up of the process tending to criminalise union action. Excerpts from Elie Domota's letter addressed to the Cicr Secretary.
In a letter addressed to the Cicr (International Committee against Repression), the UGTG General Secretary, Elie Domota, has alerted labour and democratic opinion about the preparation of new court proceedings to be brought against leaders of his union. The Cicr considers it has a duty to denounce what can only be qualified as a forfeiture and represents a speeding up of the process tending to criminalise union action. Excerpts from Elie Domota's letter addressed to the Cicr Secretary.
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25th August 2013
A sincere hello to you, dear comrade, dear friend,
We all know, the Hollande Government pursues along exactly the same lines as its predecessor. The undermining of social guarantees and union repression are meted out daily to the workers of Guadeloupe as in France. To-day, many bosses in Guadeloupe refuse to pay the wage increases consented in the Bino agreement. What's more, many of them refuse to pay in the social contributions on workers' wages. And threaten to dismiss workers if obliged to pay up. And of course, these same rogue bosses are the privileged partners of local authorities, MPs and the State. In this situation, of course, it is still workers who are supposed to understand and make efforts, because there is an economic crisis, that incurable sickness that has appeared from nowhere. We do know.
The workers of Guadeloupe and their organisations refuse to kowtow, they continue to combat exploitation (kont pwofitasyon). Repression is also there. In September, a former UGTG member (activist at the time of the event) appears in court for refusing to submit to a DNA sample. In January 2014 a health leader is to appear in court for a sequestering and in April 2014 Charly Lendo is summoned to appear before the Pointe-à-Pitre correctional Court, notably for manslaughter. I hereby, request you, in the name of the UGTG, to intervene with the Cicr bureau concerning this situation and in particular that of Charly Lendo, present General Secretary of the UTHTR-UGTG (hotels and restaurants) and UGTG Joint Secretary.
Out of the 17 people summoned to appear in this case he is the only one being prosecuted. The message has got through, activists must be silenced , workers frightened, because through Charly, it is the UGTG and all workers that are under fire; and it is the vendetta against LKP mobilisation that continues. This trial is planned for the 8th April 2014, just a few days after the UGTG Congress that will be held from the 3rd to the 5th April 2014. I know we can count on your support and that of the Cicr.
Will be in touch shortly,
A sincere hello to you, dear comrade, dear friend,
We all know, the Hollande Government pursues along exactly the same lines as its predecessor. The undermining of social guarantees and union repression are meted out daily to the workers of Guadeloupe as in France. To-day, many bosses in Guadeloupe refuse to pay the wage increases consented in the Bino agreement. What's more, many of them refuse to pay in the social contributions on workers' wages. And threaten to dismiss workers if obliged to pay up. And of course, these same rogue bosses are the privileged partners of local authorities, MPs and the State. In this situation, of course, it is still workers who are supposed to understand and make efforts, because there is an economic crisis, that incurable sickness that has appeared from nowhere. We do know.
The workers of Guadeloupe and their organisations refuse to kowtow, they continue to combat exploitation (kont pwofitasyon). Repression is also there. In September, a former UGTG member (activist at the time of the event) appears in court for refusing to submit to a DNA sample. In January 2014 a health leader is to appear in court for a sequestering and in April 2014 Charly Lendo is summoned to appear before the Pointe-à-Pitre correctional Court, notably for manslaughter. I hereby, request you, in the name of the UGTG, to intervene with the Cicr bureau concerning this situation and in particular that of Charly Lendo, present General Secretary of the UTHTR-UGTG (hotels and restaurants) and UGTG Joint Secretary.
Out of the 17 people summoned to appear in this case he is the only one being prosecuted. The message has got through, activists must be silenced , workers frightened, because through Charly, it is the UGTG and all workers that are under fire; and it is the vendetta against LKP mobilisation that continues. This trial is planned for the 8th April 2014, just a few days after the UGTG Congress that will be held from the 3rd to the 5th April 2014. I know we can count on your support and that of the Cicr.
Will be in touch shortly,
UGTG General Secretary,
Elie Domota
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Everyone can take the measure of the seriousness of these threats hanging over the trade unionists of Guadeloupe.
The Cicr recalls that it addressed the Minister for Justice, Mrs Taubira, as soon as she was nominated fifteen months ago, on the basis of accurate and detailed facts, demonstrating the undeniable reality of union repression, in Guadeloupe in particular. For the year 2011-2012, no less than 76 union activists in Gaudeloupe were summoned to appear before court, just for exercising union office according to the mandate conferred them by their colleagues.
The Cicr has established how in particular the Penal Code was used (via the obligation to submit to DNA tests) to contravene elementary union rights to take action, assimilating certain members to criminals. The Cicr recalls that these procedures also apply in metropolitan France and that five CGT union members will be on trial in Roanne in November , because the latter have, quite rightly, refused to submit to such infamous genetic testing.
Everyone can take the measure of the seriousness of these threats hanging over the trade unionists of Guadeloupe.
The Cicr recalls that it addressed the Minister for Justice, Mrs Taubira, as soon as she was nominated fifteen months ago, on the basis of accurate and detailed facts, demonstrating the undeniable reality of union repression, in Guadeloupe in particular. For the year 2011-2012, no less than 76 union activists in Gaudeloupe were summoned to appear before court, just for exercising union office according to the mandate conferred them by their colleagues.
The Cicr has established how in particular the Penal Code was used (via the obligation to submit to DNA tests) to contravene elementary union rights to take action, assimilating certain members to criminals. The Cicr recalls that these procedures also apply in metropolitan France and that five CGT union members will be on trial in Roanne in November , because the latter have, quite rightly, refused to submit to such infamous genetic testing.
A Cicr delegation with union leaders, at its request, has been received twice by Mr Eric Lafontaine, Councillor for reserved Cases to Mrs Taubira, Minister for Justice. In these interviews, where Mr Lafontaine gave no reply to the requests presented by the delegation (delegation supported by more than a thousand union leaders in metropolitan France), he promised a written reply to our requests. It must now be recognised that this was a simple manoeuvre aimed at gaining time, since we have received no answer and there are more and more trials.
The Cicr, founded nearly forty years ago, considers that it is to its honour that it has always replied to appeals from union activists victims of repression -in accordance with its means and whatever the authority involved -whether it have been in Russia, South Africa, Romania, China, Egypt, Spain or any other country.
In respect of this commitment, the Cicr addresses all union leaders, activists and democratic opinion so that together we put a stop to this forfeiture. In defending Charly Lendo, UGTG Joint General Secretary, in defending the UGTG, we are defending ourselves.
We address all and everyone so that, together, we say to the Minister of Justice: abandon proceedings against Charly Lendo, put a stop to the repression orchestrated against trade unionists.
The Cicr requests a delegation be received during this month of September 2013 by the Minister of Justice, request formulated for over fifteen months now. We ask all and everyone to intervene with Mrs Taubira, in the way they think fittest, in order that this be achieved.
Address: Mme la ministre de la Justice, garde des Sceaux, 13, place Vendôme -75042 Paris Cedex.
The Cicr will hold a conference Monday 14th October 2013 from 6.0p.m. to 8.0p.m. at the Paris Labour Exchange (Bourse du Travail, Salle Jean-Jaurès), chaired by Jean-Jacques Marie. He will report in particular on this combat and the necessary measures to be taken to achieve success.
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Title: Guadeloupe: Still More Court Proceedings Against Members o
(reprinted from ILC International Newsletter No. 141 - New Series)
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