Thursday, April 29, 2010

US Military Attacking Haitian Unions

In Haiti, the laws guarantee the right of workers to unionize. However, it also states that if the bosses don't want to work with someone, then they can fire that person. Bosses have used this portion of the law to rid their property of unions. Instead of saying, "I don't want a union," the boss can just say, "I don't want to work with these people, and not because they're a union."

Due to the weakness of the Haitian state, the US Marines are now enforcing the rules of the Haitian anti-union bosses. They are ensuring that the status-quo remains in Haiti, that unions posses little to no power. The US military is doing the dirty work of the Haitian capitalist class and its international allies that have set up shop on the island.

Garment factories in Haiti are unsafe and could collapse at any moment, but the government doesn't do anything to change this and protect the safety of factory workers.

There are details on all of the above and more in the video below.

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