File spoon-archives/marxism-general.archive/marxism-general_1997/97-03-05.123, message 80


Date: Tue, 04 Mar 1997 21:24:27 +0000
From: Joćo Paulo Monteiro <jpmonteiro-AT-mail.telepac.pt>
Subject: M-G: Workers on the move in Portugal


There is been of late a marked revival on workers demonstrations
throughout this little country. The cause of the unrest has been a vile
legal fraud by the "socialist" government of Ant=F3nio Guterres. This guy
is a particularly spineless social-democrat always eager to perform ever
more
cerimonial bows to the big bosses and the catholic church.

Workers have been promised a 40 hour limit on their weekly work for some
years now. The promise was fullfiled (kind of) some time ago, but wraped
up in some concessions on "flexibility and polivalence". This means the
bosses now can distribute the work schedules more or less as it suits
their necessities and the workers may be ordered to perform tasks
totally outside their professional cathegory and contract
specifications. This is in line with pomo managerial theories (just in
time, lean and mean, etc.). Only the yellow unions confederation
(UGT-socialists and popular democrats) signed this theacherous
agreement that was later to be put into law.

Worst was to come. The bosses all over the country (leaning on an
ambiguity of the law) are now counting the little technical pauses of
work as not being effective work time. These pauses of 10 to 15 minutes,
two or three times a day (during which the worker is at the disposal of
the bosses) are made for technical and productivity reasons and they
have always been counted as effective work time. No more. The workers
are being forced to work longer than before the fucking 40 hour law.
They are taking to the streets led by the CGTP unions confederation
(communists and left independents). The Provedoria da Justi=E7a (kind of
an onbudsman) says the workers are right in their protests. But the
prime-minister is already siding with the bosses in his despicable
doubtful ways.

This confederation (CGTP) is by far the largest here and one of the few
good things we have in this country. It's led by a card carrying
communist,
an articulated chap by the name of Carvalho da Silva. It's good to see
some red flags waving around.


Unidade, unidade, unidade
do trabalho contra o capital
camaradas lutemos unidos
porque é nossa a vit=F3ria final

camaradas lutemos unidos
porque é nossa a vit=F3ria final




Jo=E3o Paulo Monteiro
Porto




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