Victory for Zanon workers

Article translated from Argentinian liberal paper Pagina12

The courts have extended by three years the mandate of the workers at Fábrica Sin Patrón (Factory Without a Boss; FaSinPat), formerly known as Zanon, with the result that they can continue running their co-operative; the courts also paid tribute to the workers' organizational ability.

By Adriana Meyer

Zanon workers satisfied with legal outcome

A victory for the ceramics workers of FaSinPat (Fábrica sin Patrón), formerly known as Zanon. The courts extended the workers' mandate by three years, so that they can continue running their co-operative with the same degree of liberty with which they have been managing the factory, and praised the workers' management which has been in place for over five years.
"We consider it an important step forward because it is an extension of the same conditions of autonomy which we've become accustomed to, and this [verdict] allows us to make plans for production. But we will not rest with this, because it is temporary, and in the assembly we've already voted to re-double our struggle for our ultimate objective, which is expropriation", Raúl Godoy, joint secretary of the Neuquén Union of Ceramics Workers, told Página/12 after the verdict of commercial judge Rafael Barriero.
This resolution will allow for an increase in jobs, production and community-aid projects which the ceramics workers have been in charge of since taking over the Zanon company.
The magistrate resolved "to authorize the extension by three years of the lease of the industrial plant located in the 7th kilometre of provincial route 7 in the area of Neuquén, along with the machines, goods and accessories, to the FaSinPat Ltd. co-operative."
After four years of occupation and direct workers' control, in October 2005 the courts recognized the co-operative created by the workers of Zanon, giving it one year's control over production and sales. This temporarily put off the threat of eviction, break-up or closing-down of the factory. Before the completion of the term, on October 31st, with an imminent eviction threat, the workers asked for a three-year extension. This was granted and the terms put down in writing. A delegation composed of several workers - among them Godoy and the secretary of the Leopoldo Reyes co-operative - travelled to meet in the office of Barriero, with their lawyer Myriam Bregman and the receiver for the bankruptcy.
The verdict was considered positive because the term granted allows them to continue with workers' control and recognizes their autonomy, which means there is no possibility of co-management with bosses or any state authorities, and means that that the workers' assembly will continue as the factory's highest organ of management. In his verdict, the judge praised the workers' management in expressing that "not only has it allowed for the maintenance of jobs, but more than 220 new posts have been created, production has surpassed 300,000 sq. metres, part of which has been designated for community-aid projects, with a stock currently over 120,000 sq. metres, and has created no new problems in relation to the bankruptcy (...)

However, this decision has left a sword of Damocles hanging over the workers, since the judgement "will allow at whatever time the conclusion of the mandate, obliging the co-operative to organize the restitution of goods within 5 days of notification", according to the text which Pagina/12 has got hold of. It is because of this that the assembly ratified its promise to "redouble its efforts and the struggle to reach a genuine solution, which means the passing of a law of expropriation and nationalization of the plant under workers' control, and rejecting the idea that the workers be forced to pay the millionaire's debts of over 360 million pesos [£70 million] which the bosses who abandoned the factory left behind", as Mariano Pedrero, another of the workers' lawyers, described it. The plan for a law of expropriation has already been presented both before the national Congress and the Legislature of the province, where it has found the 20,000 signatures necessary (according to the Neuquén constitution) for legislators to be obliged to discuss the issue.
To maintain the strength - and legitimacy - of their struggle, the Zanon ceramics workers have continued efforts to deepen their links in the community. "We have opened health centres and we have just finished building a three-bedroom house for eight childran orphaned after their parents' death in a car crash," Godoy told us. To show their thanks, the teachers at the school attended by these children donated trees to the factory. And, just as some years ago the group Attaque 77 played there, last month it was the turn of Rata Blanca [White Rat]. All these decisions were taken by the assembly, which took part in the recent conflict at Jabón Federal [a strike at a soap factory], giving solidarity in the form of financial support, and was present in almost all the marches for the recovery of Jorge Julio López [a war-crimes trial witness who criticized the former military régime, whose "disappearance" has raised suspicions of state terrorism].
The courts have extended by three years the mandate of the workers at Fábrica Sin Patrón (Factory Without a Boss; FaSinPat), formerly known as Zanon, so that they can continue running their co-operative; the courts also paid tribute to the workers' organization.

Translation: David Broder