SOTA members in Haiti

Beginning in mid September of 2011, a nascent Haitian garment workers’ union decided that in their continued efforts to defend and demand that their factories respect their basic democratic rights – they would go public. Within 2 weeks, spokespeople for Sendika Ouvriye Takstil ak Abiman (SOTA) were out of work. In some workplaces, organizers were specifically told they were being fired for their legally recognized right to organize. This not only is a blow against the people of Haiti’s rights to organize their workplaces and seek living wages, but makes a further mockery of Haiti’s rule of law, as SOTA is recognized by the Ministry of Social Affairs & Labor.

One Struggle South Florida declares its continued solidarity with Batay Ouvriye and the fired organizers of SOTA. Despite Haiti’s public perception as a place devastated by poverty, natural calamity, and lack of resources, one of the real foes of the Haitian people is the international occupation that obliterates the Haitian people’s right to self-determination, from political choice to making a living wage.

Without the barrel of the Imperialist’s gun and the structural adjustments of neo-liberal wage theft, the Haitian people have the ability to survive any catastrophe and come out stronger. It is well past time America eschews the profit and convenience it receives from dominated country labor, such as this, in favor of solidarity with Haitians’ masses struggle for popular democracy.

We call upon Gildan, Haitians factory owners and other multinational garment corporations that are supplied by exploited Haitian laborers to demand the recognition and reinstatement of SOTA’ representatives in their respective factories, and for the masses here, in the belly of the beast, to rally behind the international struggle against Imperialist wage slavery in Haiti and worldwide.

Viv lit travayè ak ouvriye an Ayiti
Yon Atak sou younn se yon atak sou nou tout