(More on this case) ( !! Note that Kukdong changed it's name sept 2001 to Mex Mode )

Dear Friends,
An update from US-LEAP on the situation at the Mexican factory producing for Nike where workers are on strike.

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This is courtesy of a member of USAS who is now on the scene in Mexico.

POLICE ASSAULT STRIKING KUKDONG WORKERS

On Thursday January 12, 2001 at around 10:30pm police in full riot gear attacked the 300 workers that were guarding the Kukdong factory. The police were led by Rene Sanchez Juarez, the leader of the illegitimate unrepresentative union against which the workers have beeen fighting. The group of workers included pregnant women as well as minors. There was an excessive use of force on the part of the police. This was uncalled for considering that once the workers saw the approaching police officers, they threw their arms up in the air and retreated to the exits. Yet they were atill hit, pulled, pushed and insulted. At least 15 workers ended up in the hospital and were later released, two still remain hospitalized as of Friday morning.

At the time of the arrest, two leaders were violently kidnapped by the judicial police, threatened and then released. The kidnapped leaders were Claudia Ochoterena and Josefina Hernandez (who had written the letter on the previous update).

Workers plan to continue mobilizing, despite the company's threat to fire workers who do not return to work, and need support, both moral and political. Please continue to pressure Nike and Kukdong so that there is dialog with the workers and their demands are met. Nike needs to be held responsible for the gross violations of human rights by Kukdong and the Mexican police. Please continue to send solidarity messages to this address: elevenzapatos@hotmail.com

Please send letters calling on Nike to publicly accept responsibility for the situation in Kuk Dong and agree to send a fully authorized representative to Atlixco with specific instructions to meet with the workers' organization to facilitate a resolution and publicly ratify an agreement with the company that meets the workers' following demands:

1) That the company recognize the independent workers’ organization, the Kuk Dong Workers’ Coalition, as the legitimate representative of the workers and agree to deal with them as such. 2) That Kuk Dong reinstate all illegally fired workers. 3) That Kuk Dong agree not to fire or take reprisals against anyone for having participated in the stoppage or other protests.

Letters should be sent to:

Philip H. Knight,
Chairman and CEO NIKE, Inc.
One Bowerman Drive
Beaverton, OR 97003-6433
Fax: (503) 671-6300

or via the email addresses of
Simon Pestridge: simon.pestridge@nike.com
Vada Manager: vada.manager@nike.com

Letters to Kukdong can be sent to kukdong@avante.net.mx and/or faxed to
011-52-244-610-24.

Letters should also be sent to the following public officials in Mexico, denouncing police violence against a legitimate worker protest, and calling on them to use their leverage to pressure the company to accept the workers' demands. In particular, letters should be sent to the Governor of the State of Puebla, who ordered the police to storm the factory.

Lic. Vicente Fox Quesada
Presidente de los Estados Unidos Mexicanos
Residencia Oficial de los Pinos
Col. San Miguel Chapultepec
C.P. 11850
Tel. (5) 515-05 28
Fax (5) 515-1794

Lic. Carlos Abascal Carranza
Secretaría del Trabajo y Previsión Social
Periférico Sur No. 4271, Edif. A, piso 4
Col. Fuentes del pedregal
C.P. 14149
Tel. (5) 645-2962 y 645-5591
Fax (5) 645-5594

Lic. Melquíades Morales Flores
Gobernador del Estado de Puebla
Palacio de Gobierno
Col. Centro
C.P. 7200
Puebla, Puebla
Tel (22) 32-0442
Fax (22) 46-0271

Lic. Roberto González
Secretario del Trabajo y Previsión Social del estado de Puebla
Edificio SELAFE 31, Poniente 2904
Fraccionamiento El Vergel
C.P. 72400
Puebla, Puebla
Tel. (22) 49-9076
Fax (22) 30-1670 ext. 300

Lic. Maximiliano Jiménez Ramírez
Presidente de la Junta de Conciliación y Arbitraje
del estado de Puebla
Edificio SELAFE 31, Poniente 2904
Fraccionamiento El Vergel
C.P. 72400
Puebla, Puebla
Tel. (22) 49-9076
Fax (22) 30-1670 ext. 300

Ing. José Luis Galeazzi Berra
Presidente Municipal de Atlixco
Plaza de Armas No. 1
Centro
C.P. 74200
Tel (244) 500-28 y 502-81
Fax (244) 53406
E-mail h-ayto-@rpc.com.mx

USAS webpage: http://www.usasnet.org