Labor

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez signed a collective contract with workers at the Sidor steel plant yesterday, formalizing an agreement reached between workers and the government last week. Also, Chavez signed the law-decree for the nationalization of Sidor.

The United Steel Industry Workers Union at the recently nationalized SIDOR steel plant and the Venezuelan government finalized a collective labor contract early Sunday morning. Meanwhile, Sidor's former owner says it is still willing to negotiate the indemnity for the nationalization.

Waving red flags, more than 300,000 workers marched in Caracas to celebrate May 1, the International Day of Workers Struggle. The rally also celebrated a decree by Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez increasing the minimum wage by 30%.

If a “just” price is not agreed upon this Tuesday for the nationalization of the Sidor steel plant, Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez will sign a presidential decree expropriating the company, Chávez declared on his weekly Sunday talk show Aló Presidente.

In a decision announced late Tuesday night, Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez dismissed Labor Minister José Ramón Rivero and replaced him with the former Communist Party member and vice-president of the National Assembly, Roberto Manuel Hernández.

In a joint press conference with Venezuela's Labor Minister Jose Ramon Rivero on Sunday, National Assembly Deputy and coordinator of the Bolivarian Socialist Workers Force (FSBT) announced the formation of a new national union federation and called on unions to disaffiliate from the UNT.

The Venezuelan government will guarantee the job security of the 4,600 workers in nationalized cement factories, according to a statement released over the weekend by the Venezuelan Energy and Petroleum Minister, Rafael Ramírez.

Early Wednesday morning, the Vice President of Venezuela, Ramón Carrizalez, announced the nationalization of Argentine-controlled Ternium Sidor, concluding a 14-month collective contract dispute between the company and the United Steel Industry Workers Union (SUTISS).

The workers and the management at Ternium Sidor, Latin America's fourth-largest steel plant will hold two separate referenda this week to assess worker sentiments regarding the company's final pay raise offer amidst a conflict over a collective contract that is now finishing its 13th month.

Unionists have rejected the actions of 120 functionaries of the National Guard and 60 police who attacked and broke up a protest of workers from the Argentine -controlled Ternium Sidor steel plant, who were blocking the principle avenue of Cuidad Guayana, early Friday.