Appeal for support of Ożarów protest
- Dział: English news
The workers of the cable factory in Ożarów have protested without any brake for over seven months. They are blocking the main gate of factory to make carries out of the machine industrial impossible.
The factory had worked without any problems (a lot of orders, good financial position, work on three shifts) as long as Tele-Fonica bought it. The new owner, Bogusław Ciupał, from day to day dismissed all crew and stopped the production.
The official reason why the factory should be closed was that marketplace of the telephonic cables broke down. The owner made nothing of the workers who could produce every kind of cables (not only telephonic), had a new technology, good machines and had fulfilled every order. No negotiation with the workers had been made. That's shows how owner of Tele-Fonica who has monopoly in the polish marketplace treats people working for him.
All industrial machines are going to be carried out, a ground belonging to Tele-Fonica is for sale. Nobody cares that the factory gave cost of life for the great majority of the families from Ożarów and from a neighbourhood.
Workmen have only one postulate (demand) - the factory should work again.
From the very beginning the workers took into consideration every possible solution: selling the factory to different owner who would open it, taking over the plant by the workers. All possible legal ways of showing their helplessness were used- demonstrations, marches etc.
It's not a secret that the owner of Tele-Fonica, who became rich during policy transformation in 1989, has support of the local financial and political elite. That's why all activities going to opening the factory are finished with debacle. A great number of members of this elite and plant's administration wanted to close the factory as quickly as possible. They had believed that the protest would have weakened very quickly. But the workers are decided to fight to the end.
Last days showed their determination, which became a symbol of a combat about rights for a work and worthy life.
As a result of 5 days battle with police and private security, 50 people were arrested. All of them are free now but they may face fines or other prison sentences. The protest has been going on for months while these workers have no income. Most of them cannot afford attorneys. Workers' Initaive has been supporting this protest from the beginning as much as we can. Now we are calling on comrades to help financially. Now, in this hard and decisive moments workers of Ożarów really need a strong support from all of us from outside. Every help is important - it will show that their struggle is not isolated.
We are collecting money through the Anarchist Black Cross.
Funds, with a note "for Ozarow"