Update: Two Recent Victories

In the past two weeks there have been two inspiring victories here in Buenos Aires. Students at Carlos Pellegrini have ended their occupation and the tire workers strike at Fate has also ended. While both struggles made compromises in their current agreements, they also won amazing concessions from those in power and continued to build the strength of their movements.

Student Democracy at Carlos Pellegrini (original report here)

Students at the Carlos Pellegrini university prep school demanded that the recently appointed principal Juan Carlos Viegas be fired with a new principal being chosen through election. On May 25th, after a refusal by the school to hear their demands, students occupied the building. Classes would continue, the occupation quickly gained the support of parents, teachers, and other building employees, but Viegas was refused entry to the school.

After nearly one month of continual occupation and countless assemblies held by students, teachers, and faculty, the occupation has ended and an agreement has been reached. Assemblies of each group spent all of Tuesday June 19th in debate over the proposed deal, eventually agreeing to it. The agreement has 3 major stipulations. 1) A committee of students, teachers, and faculty will be made that will have binding authority over academic, extracurricular, and extension programs at the school. 2) A complete overhaul of Viegas’ intended course for the school, stressing the “universal, humanist, and autonomous” aspects of the schools. 3) Students will gain full control over the school café and copy machine services (so that they can make copied packets of required text, rather than buying text books).

While this agreement does accept that Viegas will still be the principal of the school, it goes beyond simple reaction to his role. The deal pushes the boundaries of student control, while leaving Viegas nearly powerless. Instead of simply reacting to a poor leader, they have changed the institution as a whole.

A Partial Victory at Fate (original report here)

After nearly two weeks of a full and indefinite strike, the workers at Fate decided to partially return to work. They returned to the idea of a 3 hour per shift strike. This would allow workers to continue receiving wages while maintaining their struggle. However, when they tried to return to work the bosses cut the factories power, turning the strike into a lockout. Another deal was then offered to the workers, a 22% raise spread out for months and a one time $1400 peso payment at the signing of the contract. This deal was rejected.

In late May another nearby factory joined the Fate workers in strike. The Fate workers held a number of marches and another picket of the Pan American Highway with these workers. Shortly after their joint action on the highway, Fate workers called for a concert and party at the gates of the factory for all those in solidarity with their struggle. Hundreds gathered for the event and dozens of organizations pledged their support to the new fight. These events gave improved the morale of the Fate workers and gave them the energy to push on in their fight.

In the next 2 weeks the fight at Fate would intensify quickly. After an incredibly complex series of events, debates, and assemblies a deal was finally negotiated and agreed to by the union. However, they then only allowed a yes or no vote on the new deal (rather than the usual assembly discussion) which included a 25% raise, $18,000 peso bonus given at two times, and a renegotiation of the entry level wage. This agreement was passed by the majority of members. While it’s considered a partial victory, a fight continues to ensure the power of the assembly and to elect assembly delegates for each shift. In a fight that began with the miserable offer of an 8% wage increase and no one respecting the power of the assembly, this is an excellent first step.