Mauro Zambrano, general coordinator of the trade union network, said that unions must be maintained as “a space free of political control, because when it becomes an instrument of power, it loses its essence and betrays those who represent. Today more than ever, I raise my voice because I believe in trade unionism as a transformation tool »
The General Coordinator of the Venezuelan Trade Union Network, Mauro Zambrano, called on workers and unions to remain united in the face of attacks on representatives in recent weeks.
“In Venezuela, being a union leader is not simply to assume a job responsibility: it is to face a real risk,” said Zambrano, according to a press release.
He indicated that unions must maintain their ability to demand decent conditions and salary recovery, which is currently located in 130 bolivars, less than one dollar based on the rate of the Central Bank of Venezuela.
“We cannot allow fear, manipulation or indifference to rob us what belongs to us by right: a free, legitimate union representation committed to the worker,” he said.
The Coordinator of the Network stressed that historically the Venezuelan trade union movement “has been the target of multiple attacks, both by the State and sectors of the private company” that have “weakened.”
Among these practices he mentioned forced retirements, arbitrary dismissals, intimidation, persecution, union parallelism, state intervention in electoral processes and “bonuses that divide.”
*Also read: repression against trade unionists is exacerbated in the midst of salary claims
According to different guilds, at least nine union leaders remain under arrest in the country after the recent arrests of Rusbelia Astudillo and Roberto Campero. From the ruling, Nicolás Maduro has also called to “transcend the bureaucratic structures of traditional trade unionism.”
Zambrano said that “all these actions have had a corrosive effect on the union structure, weakening their ability to represent and defend workers.”
He also acknowledged that the damage «has not only come from outside. It must also be recognized that some leaders have lost their way, clinging to charges for decades without calling elections, without renewing leaders, without listening to the bases. Although they do not represent the majority, their permanence without legitimacy has contributed to the wear of confidence in trade unionism.
The coordinator of the union network said that they must be maintained as “a space free of political control, because when it becomes an instrument of power, it loses its essence and betrays those who represent. Today more than ever, I raise my voice because I believe in trade unionism as a transformation tool ».
*Journalism in Venezuela is exercised in a hostile environment for the press with dozens of legal instruments arranged for the punishment of the word, especially the laws “against hatred”, “against fascism” and “against blockade.” This content was written taking into consideration the threats and limits that, consequently, have been imposed on the dissemination of information from within the country.
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