The Inter-Professional (cross-trade) Union of the CNT (Spanish section of the International Workers' Association IWA-AIT) in the city of Alcoy (pop. 60,000) has been engaged in an indefinite general strike of workers of the Mariel Bakery and its retail outlets since August 10 2015.
Alcoy strike of bakery workers
The workers went on strike demanding the four months' back pay owed to them and did not intend to return to work until their demands were met. The owners had repeatedly promised to pay, but their promises were not fulfilled. [The Mariel enterprise was purchased in 2013 by the investment company Gutsen & Vergelsa.]
Thirteen fellow workers were fired recently, in some cases without due notice. Now 22 workers have resolved not to return to work until they receive their back pay (up to 3,800 euros each). The workers halted work at the main bakery and three shops in the area which sell bread and pastries.
Employees work for the company under contracts. Now they are trying to get the contracts officially cancelled so they can begin to receive unemployment benefits.
According to spokespersons for the workers, since the purchase of the company by Gutsen & Vergelsa the work situation has become "intolerable" because of ongoing "workplace stress and the constant delay in paying wages". This outfit is already well known for its questionable practices and speculative operations (taking over companies in financial trouble and liquidating their assets without honouring their debts).
On August 31 the strikers began picketing the main bakery, demanding back pay now for five months. They intend to picket daily from 10 a.m. to 12 a.m. until the matter is resolved. Production in the bakery is completely halted, and 13 of the company's outlets (in Iba, Alcoy, Onil, Cocentaina and Muro) have been closed.
The CNT of the Marina Alta region has posted the following appeal for support for the strikers: http://blogscat.com/cntmarinaalta/2015/08/29/resistencia-en-la-vaga-indefinida-contra-panaderias-mariel-s-l/
Greetings comrades!
The workers of the Mariel company, both the bakery and the various distribution outlets, have been in an indefinite strike situation since August 10 [2015]. As a result, and especially since they were not paid for June and July, there are comrades who need help to feed their children and families. That is why we are asking for your solidarity to help financially these comrades affected by the struggle. Solidarity contributions on their behalf may be remitted to the following account:
Entitat: Deutsche Bank.
Titular: SOV de CNT-AIT Alcoi
No. de compte IBAN: ES51 0019 4700 7240 1000 0133
"Solidarity is not a promise, it is a necessity."
[Thanks to www.aitrus.org for collating this information.]
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The strike at the Mariel bakery continues: it has now been five months since the workers received any wages. The situation of the workers is in some sort of bureaucratic limbo, as the firm filed the wrong document for bankruptcy and the now the legal process for the workers to get access to their wages is paralyzed. Of the 50 workers originally involved, about 30 were fired, while the remaining 20 are technically still employed but are unable to receive the documents they need to collect unemployment benefits.
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http://www.radioibi.com/eniusimg/enius143/2015/09/adjuntos_fichero_fa9f5239035a7d4bg.jpg
Thanks for the update, please
Thanks for the update, please keep us posted