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Death Threats to Jaqalanka Union Supporters
Friday, 01 August 2003 13:54
| Death threats to Jaqalanka union supporters
Please note that the ICFTU and ITGLWF have both filed complaints with the ILO regarding this case. You can view these complaints at 31st July 2003
The situation at Jaqalanka Ltd in the Katunayake Free Trade Zone in Sri Lanka is again at a critical stage. Our union members are not only being denied the fundamental rights of Freedom of Association and Collective Bargaining, their lives are also at risk. In addition to the threats, harassment and intimidation union members are facing, they are now receiving death threats, merely because they are members of our union. The latest examples include: On 27th July the branch union secretary was assaulted by 5 unknown men at Avariwatta Junction, after he attended a union meeting. He made a complaint about the assault at the Katunayake Police Station. One of the women union members who voted in the referendum on July 9th was threatened on her way home from work on 30th July, by four unknown men at the Avariwatta Junction, near to the Jaqalanka Ltd factory. They questioned her about Jaqalanka and her involvement in the union. These men told her: “we did something for one on last Sunday, but still he is continuing without shame and if you go again to the union we will kill you and put you to the lagoon.” Fortunately 7 boys passing by saw this incident and intervened, but the men threatened them with a knife and said: “you can take your sister, but we know the place where she is boarding and if we want we can do anything whenever we want.” This incident was also reported at the Katunayake Police Station, but the police officers in charge behaved in an unruly manner and questioned her about her association with the union. They also referred to the complaint made last Sunday (27th July 2003) by our branch union secretary, claiming this statement, and hers were fabricated statements. The union believes that under the current critical circumstances it is impossible to have another referendum as it is clear management will not relent in its intimidation, threats and harassment. Therefore the union withdraws it earlier demand for a re-run of the referendum. It demands management to recognise the union from the original letter sent by the branch union on 5th April 2003 which contained 166 signatures confirming they are members of the union. This is more than 40% which is the legal requirement for the union to be recognised as the collective bargaining agent. Further since its formation the branch union has grown and to 17 June had 205 duly filled and signed membership forms. While the referendum clearly demonstrated the intimidation of management by the low voter turnout of just 17 workers, 99% of votes on the day of the referendum were in favour of the union. A report by international observers confirms the intimidation tactics of management. The union demands:
The union urges you to continue your support and letter writing campaigns. Please pressure management and the government to take immediate action for an amicable resolution of this dispute. Please send copies of all letters and solidarity messages to the union at In Solidarity Anton Marcus Please adapt and send out the following letters today 1. WRITE TO JAQALANKA MANAGEMENT Mr WHM Fernando Dear Sir, We would like to draw your attention to the critical situation at your factory in the Katunayake Free Trade Zone, where members of the Free Trade Zones Workers Union (FTZWU) are not only facing threats, harassment and intimidation, but their lives are also at risk, merely because they are members of the union. Since the referendum held on 9th July 2003, branch union officials and the members who cast their vote have been under threat, including direct threats to their life by unidentified persons. We have been informed that on Sunday, 27th July the branch union secretary was assaulted by 5 unknown men after he attended a union meeting. Additionally that one of the women union members who voted in the referendum on July 9th was threatened on her way home from work on 30th July, by four unknown men who said they had assaulted someone else last Sunday, and if she continued to associate with the union, they would kill her and put her in a lagoon. This incident was reported to the Katunayake Police Station, but the police officers there did not assist favourably and behaved in an unruly manner towards the woman worker. The union believes that under the current critical circumstances it is impossible to have another referendum as it is clear your management will not relent in its intimidation, threats and harassment. Therefore the union withdraws its earlier demand to re-run the referendum. On the basis of this the union demands that it be recognised as per its original letter sent to Jaqalanka Ltd management on 5th April 2003 which contained 166 signatures confirming they are members of the union. This is more than 40% which is the legal requirement for the union to be recognised as the collective bargaining agent. Further since its formation the branch union has grown and to 17 June had 205 duly filled and signed membership forms. The union demands:
We urge you to recognise the Free Trade Zones Workers Union as the collective bargaining agent in your factory. And further, we urge that you take immediate steps to ensure the safety of the lives the union members who are under threat. Yours sincerely
2. CONTACT THE SRI LANKAN GOVERNMENT [date] Ranil Wickramasinghe Esq Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunge Mahinda Samarasinghe Esq Dear [insert name member of government] We would like to draw your attention to the critical situation at Jaqalanka Ltd in the Katunayake Free Trade Zone, where members of the Free Trade Zones Workers Union (FTZWU) are not only facing threats, harassment and intimidation, but their lives are also at risk, merely because they are members of the union. Since the referendum held on 9th July 2003, branch union officials and the members who cast their vote have been under threat, including direct threats to their life by unidentified persons. We have been informed that on Sunday, 27th July the branch union secretary was assaulted by 5 unknown men after he attended a union meeting. Additionally that one of the women union members who voted in the referendum on July 9th was threatened on her way home from work on 30th July, by four unknown men who said they had assaulted someone else last Sunday, and if she continued to associate with the union, they would kill her and put her in a lagoon. This incident was reported to the Katunayake Police Station, but the police officers there did not assist favourably and behaved in an unruly manner towards the woman worker. The union believes that under the current critical circumstances it is impossible to have another referendum as it is clear your management will not relent in its intimidation, threats and harassment. Therefore the union withdraws its earlier demand to re-run the referendum. On the basis of this the union demands that it be recognised as per its original letter sent to Jaqalanka Ltd management on 5th April 2003 which contained 166 signatures confirming they are members of the union. This is more than 40% which is the legal requirement for the union to be recognised as the collective bargaining agent. Further since its formation the branch union has grown and to 17 June had 205 duly filled and signed membership forms. The union demands:
In view of this critical situation we urge You, the Honourable Prime Minister to intervene immediately and bring about an amicable settlement of the dispute on the basis of the demands of the union. And further, we urge that you take immediate steps to ensure the safety of the lives the union members who are under threat. Yours sincerely 3. CONTACT THE COMPANIES SOURCING AT JAQALANKA [date] Mackey J. McDonald VF Workwear European campaigners, please also contact VF Europe: Timothy A. Wheeler Phil Knight
We would like to draw your attention to the critical situation at your supplier factory in the Katunayake Free Trade Zone, in Sri Lanka, where members of the Free Trade Zones Workers Union (FTZWU) are not only facing threats, harassment and intimidation, but their lives are also at risk, merely because they are members of the union. Since the referendum held on 9th July 2003, branch union officials and the members who cast their vote have been under threat, including direct threats to their life by unidentified persons. We have been informed that on Sunday, 27th July the branch union secretary was assaulted by 5 unknown men after he attended a union meeting. Additionally that one of the women union members who voted in the referendum on July 9th was threatened on her way home from work on 30th July, by four unknown men who said they had assaulted someone else last Sunday, and if she continued to associate with the union, they would kill her and put her in a lagoon. This incident was reported to the Katunayake Police Station, but the police officers there did not assist favourably and behaved in an unruly manner towards the woman worker. The union believes that under the current critical circumstances it is impossible to have another referendum as it is clear your management will not relent in its intimidation, threats and harassment. Therefore the union withdraws its earlier demand to re-run the referendum. On the basis of this the union demands that it be recognised as per its original letter sent to Jaqalanka Ltd management on 5th April 2003 which contained 166 signatures confirming they are members of the union. This is more than 40% which is the legal requirement for the union to be recognised as the collective bargaining agent. Further since its formation the branch union has grown and to 17 June had 205 duly filled and signed membership forms. The union demands:
We urge you to advise your supplier company to ensure an amicable settlement with the Free Trade Zones Workers Union, on the basis of the abovementioned demands. And further, we urge you to advise your supplier company to take immediate steps to ensure the safety of the lives the union members who are under threat. Yours sincerely
4. CONTACT THE POLICE [date] Inspector General of Police Dear Sir
Since the referendum held on 9th July 2003, branch union officials and the members who cast their vote have been under threat, including direct threats to their life by unidentified persons. We have been informed that on Sunday, 27th July the branch union secretary was assaulted by 5 unknown men after he attended a union meeting. Additionally one of the women union members who voted in the referendum on July 9th was threatened on her way home from work on 30th July, by four unknown men who said they had assaulted someone else last Sunday, and if she continued to associate with the union, they would kill her and put her in a lagoon. This incident was reported to the Katunayake Police Station, but the police officers there did not assist favourably and behaved in an unruly manner towards the woman worker. We find this unacceptable and inappropriate behavior on behalf of the police. In view of this critical situation we urge you take immediate steps to ensure the safety of the lives of Jaqalanka union members who are under threat as mentioned in this letter. Yours sincerely
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5 Aug 2003, Please see the following urgent request from the Free Trade Zone Workers Union (FTZWU) in Sri Lanka for continued action to support workers at Jaqalanka Ltd., the Katunayake Free Trade Zone garment factory producing for VF and Nike. The situation is extremely serious and we urge you to take action today. Demand that VF and Nike immediately intervene to support workers rights at their supply facility.
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