One year on. One more factory!! : Argentina Indymedia (( i ))

The day of struggle, one year after the popular rebellion, which overthrew De la Rua began early on the 20th of December; the workers from the metallurgical company Isaco Industries S.A. decided to ocupy the factory at 7am to prevent it from being stripped and to once again begin production. Yet another symbol of this year, in which the workers showed that they can run their factories without needing bosses (of whom in the majority of cases abandoned and emptied the factories, leaving the workers on the street).

The occupation was decided in an assembly held the day before, in which about 40 workers participated. "We held an assembly yesterday to decide the steps to follow, because we were outside, in a tent, since last Thursday. We decided to take over the factory because they were emptying it, taking away the machines, without knowing where they were going to put them. We wanted to reopen it and work with dignity, as all the workers of Isaco deserve", commented Jorge, one of the company's workers to the Walsh Agency. "Today we are thankful to all our fellow workers who took this decision."

The factory has been closed since December 2000, the workers fired without getting their entitlements. "The last 42 to be fired didn't get holiday pay or benefits owed, just two weeks pay", Jorge said.

The neighbourhood spontaneously and immediately showed its solidarity with the workers who are defending their right to work with dignity. "Everyone was very supportive in the "barrio Italia", the "Korea"…everyone", expressed Jorge with pride.

Isaco, a factory that dedicated itself to making car parts (locks and other parts), employed more that 150 workers in the past, with a maximum of 234 in 1994, and today has declared itself bankrupt. "The bankruptcy was declared the 28th of November", Miguel, another worker involved in the occupation clarifies, "and until now we have not been able to meet with any of the owners. We have occupied this factory to ensure they don't start to remove things".

The workers are optimistic. "We are following in the footsteps of Renacer, Brukman, Ingenio, La Esperanza, La Vasconia, Panificacion Cinco y so many other factories where the workers are struggling to regain their livelihood, and in this way to face this grave crisis of hunger, poverty and unemployment which is assaulting our people", says the press release put out by the workers. Miguel thinks of the future, "the lawyers who are representing us have already done all the submissions to the judge overseeing the bankruptcy to see which steps to take. Becoming a cooperative is an option, that will be decided by the assembly".

Trabajadoresdeisaco@argentina.com

----Rodolfo Walsh Agency----