Happy MayDay to all!

The Zanon workers of Neuquen in Argentina are at yet another turning
point in their struggle, and the time is ripe for another explosion of
international support for these brave workers and their inspiring
achievements.

They have saved their factory from closing, run it without bosses,
created hundreds of meaningful democratic jobs, given back to their
community, and energetically supported other workers' struggles
 throughout their country.

Please go to the following web page right now, type in your name and
email address, and send a message to local politicians with one click.
http://www.labourstart.org/cgi-bin/solidarityforever/show_campaign.cgi?c=49

And now here's a short update:

The Zanon workers and their families have recently and repeatedly been
the victims of brutal attacks, torture, death threats and kidnappings.
The attackers have used tactics familiar to Argentinians who remember
the terror of the violent military dictatorship, right down to the
chilling detail of kidnapping and torturing the wife of one of the
workers in a green Ford Falcon -­ the very vehicles used by security
forces responsible for 30,000 forced disappearances and countless other
human rights violations. Two Zanon families have had to leave the city
for their own safety.

This was all clearly leading up to the climax of the legal battle for
the factory. Last week, the judge opened up a process known as a
'cram-down': five days in which new or old owners could make bids to
'buy' the factory for a fraction of its real value. This could have
triggered an immediate eviction order, and another crisis at the factory.

But no one came forward. It is clear that the deep community support for
the workers' struggle, both locally and internationally, has dissuaded
those who want to take the factory away from the community that has
defended and nurtured it.

So now the process can move to the next stage: the judge should declare
the bankruptcy once and for all, and hand legal control of the workplace
to the Zanon workers and their cooperative (FaSinPat -­ short for
Factories Without Bosses).

This is not a permanent solution, but it will at least make the
situation less precarious, and allow the workers to work without the
constant threat of eviction. The only acceptable permanent solution is
the definitive recognition of the workers' control of the factory, free
of the previous owner's debt.

As part of a global movement for social justice, we must defend this
inspiring concrete example of those other worlds we know we can create.
Let's build a network strong enough to defend FaSinPat!!

To receive future updates, join the Zanon alert email list -­ to sign up
send an email to cerlac2@yorku.ca with Zanon in the subject line.

Also, don't forget to sign the petition - more than 20,000 people
worldwide have already signed:
 http://www.PetitionOnline.com/zanon/petition.html

And for more information, see the links below:

Workers' control of FaSinPat continues despite attacks
 http://www.hellocoolworld.com/thetake/grassroots/Action/FaSinPat_en.htm

Zanon Factory Worker Kidnapped, Tortured
 http://argentina.indymedia.org/news/2005/03/271612.php