|
The big auditorium at the Cipla plant, which has a capacity
of about 1000, was filled to capacity with people standing in the aisles and
listening outside the doors, where the proceedings were transmitted by a
loudspeaker system. The mood of the workers was ebullient and cheerful, almost
like a carnival, but without samba bands.
The hall was decorated with posters with revolutionary and
class struggle slogans. The entire workforce of the plant had come (over 800
workers) to vote on a historic proposal to cut the working week to 30 hours. At
a time when the average Brazilian worker is toiling for 44 hours a week, this
was a bold and revolutionary step to take.
 |
Banner saying "Factory closed, factory
occupied
and nationalised, the workers
council, FLASCO"
|
In addition to the Cipla workers, there were a large number
of delegates from all over Brazil and from other countries in Latin America and
further afield, who had come to attend the Pan American Conference in Defence
of Employment, Rights, Agrarian Reform and Industry.
There were a total of 685 accredited delegates and a large
number of visitors. Many of them had travelled long distances, some travelling
for 24 hours on buses, and some, from the North East of Brazil, enduring a
70-hour long journey to get to the Conference. Among the foreign delegates and
visitors were workers and activists from Argentina,
Bolivia (the leaders of the
Mineworkers), Paraguay, Uruguay, Venezuela,
Spain, Austria, Britain
and Italy.
 |
Serge Goulart
|
The first part of the proceedings was opened by Serge
Goulart, the most prominent leader of the Cipla workers and the occupied
factories movement. [In Latin America the
workers prefer to refer to them as “recuperated factories”] In an impassioned
speech, Serge made a convincing appeal for the approval of the 30-hour week.
Then, in the democratic traditions of Cipla, he asked anyone who had doubts or
an alternative proposal to come forward.
Three workers spoke, expressing their reservations, but no
alternative proposal was presented and comrade Serge replied to the objections
point by point. The vote was overwhelmingly in favour – with only two votes
against and one abstention. The decision was greeted with an explosion of joy
by the assembled workers. This now means that the Cipla workers will work a
six-hour five-day week, with no loss of pay. Serge Goulart appealed to everyone
present to let all other workers know of this historic decision. It was an
inspiring start to the Conference.
The Conference opens
The Conference proper was opened by comrade Carlos Castro
from the Unified Council of CIPLA and Interfibra workers. The General Secretary
of Santa Catarina CUT delivered a message of greeting and also spoke in support
of the 30-hour week. Also on the platform was the national secretary of the CUT
chemical workers’ union, who spoke of the struggle of the working class on a
world scale. Before the international delegates were introduced, revolutionary
workers’ songs were sung with obvious enthusiasm.
Apart from delegates from occupied factories in Paraguay,
Uruguay, Argentina and Venezuela (Inveval, Gotcha and Sideroca), there was a
representative of the Palestinians and an unexpected additional speaker – a
young local bishop, Father Pucio, who surprised more than one by his radical
pro-worker speech and ferocious denunciation of capitalism.
Roberto Chavez, the general secretary of the militant
Bolivian Mineworkers’ union (FSTMB) made the following speech:
“Comrades, I bring greetings from the miners and
wage-labourers of Bolivia.
This meeting today marks an historic turning point for the working class in Latin America. All of us who are present at this
Pan-American Conference have witnessed the revolutionary decision of the
workers of Cipla to cut the working day to six hours. This must be reported in
all the other factories and villages in the interest of the working class. And
not only in Brazil, but
throughout Latin America.
“We Bolivian miners are fighting to get privatised mines
returned to the hands of the workers. There are already four recuperated mines
in our country. This must be extended to all Latin America.
In Bolivia
there were big movements of the masses after 2003, when we overthrew the
right-wing government of the oligarchs. Now we have a government that has been
elected by the majority of the people, including our comrades, the indigenous
Bolivians.
 |
Roberto Chavez
|
“This government is committed to structural change. This
means carrying out the agenda of October 2003, that is, the taking over without
any compensation of all oil, gas and mineral wealth and the nationalisation of
all private mines. The people support these demands, which are bitterly opposed
by big business and the oligarchy. The Bolivian revolution, which began in
2003, must be completed in 2007.
“The miners have been brutally attacked. In Huanuni, the
co-operative miners, manipulated by the capitalists, attempted to seize two
mines by force. The miners defended themselves and a bloody conflict followed
in which five comrades were killed. But we think it was worth this sacrifice to
save the mines.
“After the conflict we persuaded many of the workers in the
co-operatives to join us in running the mine, which now has a workforce of
5,000. We must find a solution to this problem and the only way out is the
nationalisation of the mines under workers’ control. That is the only way to
guarantee the jobs and security of the workers.”
After this inspiring speech, Roberto Chavez presented Serge
Goulart with a shield with the Bolivian Miners’ Union motto inscribed on it.
|
| Father Pucio |
The next speaker was a surprise. Father Pucio, a young
priest who is soon to become a bishop, introduced himself as a spokesman of the
Episcopate. He appeared before the workers dressed, not in a cassock, but in
the yellow t-shirt of the Occupied Factories Movement. He then proceeded to
deliver one of the most militant speeches of the day.
“What a joy it is for me to be present at this historic
meeting,” he said. “The reduction of the working day is the only way in which
working men and women can live a full life and develop themselves, raising
their cultural and educational level.”
Then, bible in hand, he proceeded to lambaste the bosses.
Quoting with evident relish from a very ferocious passage from the Epistle of
Saint James, he denounced the rich and practically sent all those who refused
to accept the 30-hour week to the burning fires of hell.
“This is a big responsibility for all of us to achieve a
complete change in the system of work. Our globalised system has changed
everything. It is the cause of much misery when conditions exist for a life of
plenty for all. May the spirit of God fill you all with the determination to
achieve all the demands of the workers. AMEN!!”
 |
| The platform speakers on day two |
The audience showed their appreciation of this most unusual
sermon with enthusiastic applause, after which the bishop-to-be left the
platform to pursue his mission in other places. It is only to be hoped that his
speech will not harm his future appointment when the Episcopate gets to hear of
it.
Among other speakers were comrade Lluis Perarnau from the UGT of
Barcelona, Paolo Brini of the Italian Metalworkers’ Federation of the CGIL, Emanuel Tomaselli of the editorial board of Der Funke in Austria, a
speaker from the PLO, and Alan Woods, whose speech received a particularly
enthusiastic reception, and was frequently interrupted with applause.
He said:
“Comrades and Friends, in the name of the International
Marxist Tendency, I bring you greetings from workers, trade unionists and
revolutionary youth in more than 30 countries in five continents.
“I see before me the real face of the working class: the
face of free men and women fighting for their rights. Society is divided into
two hostile classes: those who have everything and produce nothing, and those
who have nothing and produce everything (applause and cheers).
“Let me ask you a question. How many rich people are there
in Brazil?
How many rich people are there in Bolivia? You do not know and
neither do I. But I do know that they are only a tiny handful. We are many and
they are few! That is our strength! (applause)
 |
Alan Woods
|
“But there is another question. How does it come about that
so few people can dominate so many? It cannot be through force of arms. We know
that the state is an instrument of oppression of one class over another. But
open repression is a reserve weapon that is rarely used. The method of
domination is a different one.
“For generations the ruling class has persuaded the workers
that they cannot run industry and society. Most workers are completely
convinced of this. They say: ‘how can we run the factory or society when we do
not have the necessary knowledge?’
“This problem is made worse by the fact that many of those
who are supposed to be the leaders of the working class constantly repeat the
same idea: ‘Be careful! We cannot do this and we cannot do that!’
“Comrades, I have a message for you: YES WE CAN! (Cheers and
applause)
“Long ago a great French revolutionary said: ‘They only seem
so mighty in our eyes, because we kneel before them. Let us rise!’ (Cheers)
“Let us rise! The people of Venezuela have risen. The workers
of Bolivia
have risen. And the workers here in Cipla have risen. That is the answer to all
the reformists and sceptics. (applause)
“Comrades and friends, I have seen many factories in many
countries. But I have never seen a factory so well maintained, so spotlessly
clean, so disciplined as this (applause). The workers have run this factory
well, and have made it a success. That is the answer to those who say the
workers cannot run industry! And I ask you one question: if the working class
can run this factory, why cannot the working class administer the whole of
society? (Cheers and applause)
 |
| Lluis Perarnau |
“I was going to quote from the Bible, but the comrade Bishop
beat me to it (laughter). So instead, I will quote from an even older book. I
will quote from the Greek philosopher Aristotle, who said: ‘Man begins to
philosophise when the needs of life are provided. Consequently, mathematics and
astronomy were discovered in Egypt,
because the Egyptian priests did not have to work.’
“Here you have it – historical materialism 2,400 years
before Marx! Do you want to know the answer to the question I asked at the
beginning? How does it happen that a small minority can dominate the
overwhelming majority of society? It is because they possess a monopoly of
culture – of art, science and government. That is the real secret of class
society.
“That is why the decision taken here this morning has such a
revolutionary significance. Only by reducing the working day is it possible for
the working class to have the time necessary to acquire the culture and skills
necessary to administer society.
“Let me quote one incident that you may not know regarding
Lenin. In 1919, the workers of Bavaria
staged an insurrection and set up a soviet republic that lasted only a short
time. As soon as Lenin found out about this, he immediately sent a telegram to
the Bavarian Soviet Republic.
What did he write in this telegram? There was no revolutionary rhetoric, no
flowery phrases, only a single sentence: Carry out immediately the 40 hour
week, for without that you are lost.”
“That is the tremendous importance of a reduction of working
hours. That is why the decision of the Cipla workers is so important. But I
would just like to issue a word of warning. All history shows that it is not
possible to build an island of socialism in a sea of capitalism. In order to
succeed, it is vital that the workers of Cipla get out of the factory and go to
every other workplace, office, village and school, explaining what you have
done and asking for support – not just in Joinville and Santa Catarina but in
the whole of Brazil
and beyond.
“I agree that a great responsibility weighs on your
shoulders. This conference can indeed be a historic turning point if it leads
on to action. We must not simply go home after the conference ends and continue
as before. This conference must be the beginning of a campaign, nationally and
internationally, in favour of the occupied factories, of workers’ control, but
also for the nationalisation of the land, the banks and big industries as the
only way to solve the fundamental problems of the working class.” (enthusiastic
applause)
At the end of the Friday session, members of the Human
Rights Organization (Maria da Graca Braz) presented an award to the Occupied
Factories Movement, which was accepted by Serge Goulart. At the end of her
speech, the representative of the Human Rights Organization shouted: “Long live
the struggle of the workers of all the world!” The delegates came to their feet
and shouted VIVA!!
Joinville, Friday, December 8, 2006
See also:
|
Latin America 
