Thanks for your patience as we catch up on bringing you news and updates of Haitian garment workers’ struggles after Hurricane Irma. Most people in south Florida now have power restored, but Internet is another story.
September 2, 2017 – the RRN received news that workers at MGA Haiti, SA – a garment factory in Port Au Prince – formed a new chapter of SOTA-BO union!
SOTA-BO played a leading role in organizing the country-wide, three month long struggle for 800 Gourdes minimum wage. Union and non-union workers in Port Au Prince turned out in record numbers, unified in their demands. While workers did not achieve the 800 Gourdes, this is another positive result of those months of work. They are growing. They are more organized. They are determined.
MGA Haiti, SA was one of the factories that actively pressured the Haitian government to halt workers’ mobilizations and protests for 800 Gourdes. In response to workers unionizing, MGA management banned workers from wearing their union t-shirts to work. They did so anyway.
New SOTA-BO members from MGA factory
Haitian garment workers receive the lowest wage in the western hemisphere. Their wages are often consumed just by the transportation costs of getting to and from work. Most workers live in debt, and are often on the brink of hunger and homelessness.
Currently, the corrupt Haitian government is also trying to extract a 13% wage tax from garment and other workers. They claim it is for social services provided. Meanwhile, access to electricity, clean water, decent roads, schools and hospitals does not exist.
Haiti is in a state of crisis. These workers face a serious battle, but their organization continues to grow and strengthen. Students, peasants, street vendors & the poor are joining this movement, led by workers.
The RRN stands in solidarity with this growing movement of workers and people fighting for their rights!
Stay up to date with these struggles by following the RRN on Facebook, Twitter, and via email.
In preparation for and in the wake of hurricane Irma, we’ve gotten behind in sharing updates with you.
Here’s an important update from garment workers of in the north of Haiti, in the town of Ounaminthe, who continue their fight against an unjust wage tax.
August 30 2017 – Garment workers took the streets to protest a wage tax that supposedly is for social services. In reality, there are no social services and the tax money is being used to line the pockets of corrupt politicians.
The workers in SOKOWA textile union at the CODEVI Free Trad Zone have led the fight against this taxation since the beginning of this year.
Read the press release below for a current update.
Thank you for staying informed about this important issue. Workers may call on us for support in the future.
PLASIT-BO Press Conference
Press Conference PLASIT-BO, August 31, 2017
Greetings to the members of the press, print and television, that are covering the press conference of PLASIT-BO is having today. PLASIST-BO is the Platform of Textile and Apparel Factory Union/Batay Ouvriye. PLASIT-BO consists of 3 unions active in the 3 largest industrial parks in the country, namely, the Textile and Apparel Workers Union (SOTA-BO), CODEVI Ouanaminthe Workers Union (SOKOWA), and the S&H Militant Workers Union (SOVASHG) in Caracol. PLASIT was part of the organization of the large mobilization on the minimum wage launched in the month of May. On the minimum wage question, we continue to disagree with the decision of the Moise/Lafontant government took to add only 15 Gourdes ($0.23) to the 335 Gourdes ($5.23) the fake Supreme Salary Council (CSS) recommended. All of our demands stand. One of them is the question of IRI (Tax on Income) the state wants workers to pay on the measly salary they just set for us.
Today many are screaming bloody murder about the legislation on the 2017-2018 Budget, in particular on the increase of taxes and the imposition of a 10,000 Gourdes ($156.25) forfeiture tax. PLASIT-BO condemns this approach of the government, which tends to squeeze the poorest, those who have the least income in this budget. When we were demanding 800 Gourdes ($12.50) at the least as minimum wage, the capitalists and their allies in the government, told us we were exaggerating. Today, after the hike in gas prices, increase in the cost of living, we, the workers, do not agree that taxes and tariffs keep increasing and we get neither service nor investment in quality public schools for our children, decent public housing so we don’t have to live in sub-human shacks. This is why we are calling on the Senate to reject this whole budget.
In our demands, we demanded that the government increase the income bracket from 60,000 Gourdes ($937.50) to set it at 150,000 Gourdes ($2,343.75) to facilitate the day workers just as the factory workers to pay less Tax on Income (IRI). However, we notice they keep the same income ceiling and add another 10,000 Gourdes ($156.25) as forfeiture tax. They are squeezing more taxes and tariffs from the people every year while many large enterprises are getting fiscal and duty exemptions for a period of 15 years approximately. In addition, in that budget, nowhere do we see any moneys toward the purchase of the buses for the transportation of workers, food subsidies in the industrial park and manufactures and public housing as was promised.
They have to reshuffle the card deck completely in the reduction of moneys allocated to the presidency, the prime minister and parliament, tax luxury articles and poisons to the health of people and the environment of the country to achieve a realignment that would allow the state to have additional resources to better public services and remove the allocations in the category “Other Public Interventions”, which represents a blind alley in the budget. To top it all, they must take drastic measures to combat corruption, stealing in the state, make sure such institutions as the Superior Court of Accounts and Administrative Litigation, UCREF, and the Courts of Justice to play their roles against all the culprits, the BIG EATERS, the big and small time corrupters, the mafia network in the state and the private sector etc. There is no justification for additional taxes and tariffs if there are no services and a fight against corruption and waste.
We are calling on all workers in the factories to open up their eyes on the budget question. The fight for social benefits we raised in various debates on the minimum wage, must be reflected in the budget for them to become reality. And in this climate of corruption, stealing and all types of waste in the state, we must say we do not accept the 2017-2018 Budget legislation on the tax and tariff hikes, they are squeezing them out of us. With the large amounts of money allocated to the parliament and the executive while there is not enough money for public services and long-term investments, the state of misery is worsening in the country. We must fight to force the parliament to realign the budget for more hospitals, schools, universities, better roads, electricity, public transportation, technical and financial assistance to the small agricultural producers. Therefore, we must do our utmost to make sure this budget doesn’t see light of day. Our immediate interests as workers and laborers are not reflected in it. Only the interests of the big wigs are defended. LET’S RAISE OUR VOICES AGAINST IT! Let’s use the example of the CODEVI workers who stood up, marched against paying the taxes on income (IRI) without getting services in Ouanaminthe and against this criminal budget. THE FIGHT WILL CONTINUE WITH MORE FURY! THANKS!
PLASIT-BO – August 31, 2017
Telemarque PIERRE/3239-4583 Peguy Jn Francois JONEL/3674-4394 Pierrenard REMY/4325-0900 We demand:
1) The Senate reject the whole budget
2) Send it back to the government with the changes that take into account the interests of the masses, and the social benefits promised.
3) The people to remain vigilant so this criminal budget is not forced down our throats by mobilizing;
And we will organize sit-ins in front of SONAPI to say ‘no’ to this budget and demand the increase of the income ceiling for tax on income they’re forcing us to pay to 150,000 gourdes.
We’re a little behind on posting updates due to Hurricane Irma’s impact on south Florida.
We’re waiting to hear back from our contacts about hurricane impacts to workers and organizations in the north, northwest and northeast of the country.
Our thoughts are with those in the Caribbean and Florida who are still dealing with the aftermath of the storm.
Meanwhile, we have a backlog of news and updates to share! Here’s the first.
Goal Met. Workers Rehired.
SOTA-BO organizers at Premium Apparel send thanks & solidarity!
With this financial support, workers were able to stay afloat with the basic costs of living.
All 40 workers have since been re-hired and are back to organizing for their rights.
THANK YOU so much to everyone who contributed to make this possible!
If you’d still like to make a financial contribution to support Haitian garment workers and their organizing efforts, there’s never a bad time to do so.
Your contribution will be to provide meals to workers at meetings; to print leaflets; to help transport organizers; and to help deal illegal firings.
