ELVIRA, A
Electrical Workers (interview)
Tomás Oropeza Berumen
Under the sun beats down, the base of Mexico City is covered with dozens of large tents and canvas tents under which unfolds the lives of hundreds of electricians who are resisting the authoritarianism of Felipe Calderón to 19 months that the company Luz y Fuerza del Centro (CL & F) was dissolved by a decree unconstitutional released hours after the military took the facilities, offices and power plants where more than 45 000 workers who were thrown into the street.
Sale scraped, and suadero carnitas tacos, fresh water, shirts with prints of the Mexican Union of Electricians (SME), caps, CDs, crafts, used to get a few cents electricians to bring their families. Today
socket is a sample of jobs fabricated by workers to survive the economic policy of de facto president, who made his campaign promise to create work places and safety. But in its four years of bad government the country has become a bloody crime scene where the military and have killed about 40 million Mexicans and gone to ten thousand.
A few meters from the National Palace from which emanate the PAN government guidelines that have turned the country into a tinderbox, highly skilled workers that supplied the electricity supply to the capital and several entities of the center of the Mexican Republic, live-for now-with one foot in the informal economy and another in social resistance.
also under the supervision of soldiers from the roof of the Palace monitor everything that moves in that giant sheet, organizes the annual march for the legalization of marijuana. Dozens of young people preparing to demand an end to the ban, the cornerstone which supports the business of the drug war.
Stunned by the sun and the deafening sound of the ringing of the bells of the Cathedral, we find Elvira Huerta Hernandez, a working electrician. Petite brunette, has traded hats, shirts, fresh water, key chains. For almost two months sold wings dressed, French fries and soft drinks in his tent.
Thus, besides keeping in struggle can earn some money for travel and daily food. Accompanies a young girl, the daughter of a worker who stands guard replacing his father and also helping in the harvest.
This was what he told us Elvira who worked fourteen and a half in the EMS commissioner and three as a clerk at the Navy center. Almost 18 years of work went down the drain and had to change the computer by the brazier. But much has been learned from what is politics and the Mexican government. Have you been to all manifestations electricians and assemblies. Heard hundreds of speeches in workers' meetings. I no longer watch TV, you disgusting.
proudly states: "I am fighting from him night in which the government liquidated the CLF. My dad was an electrician and my whole family was also. Now we are divided, as many families of former workers, because some gave up the fight and accepted the settlement.
- How did your life to become unemployed?
- Totally. I thought I was in for a peaceful retirement, in retirement, because having a union as strong as the SME, I felt confident about my future. But since the October 10, 2009 my life took a turn 90 degrees. For example, I was assured my mom, that is 86 years and now has no medical service. I was thinking of retiring and having a safety. But all my life plan changed because of Calderón. I hurt not only me but my whole family because we all worked in CLyF. There is even distancing. A brother accepted the settlement because it had a strong economic problem, but other relatives did not believe in fighting and accept the crumbs that gave the government.
- What gave them the job they promised to Labor Secretary Javier Lozano Alarcón?
- No, none was given to him. Some put a business or working on their own. And the rift has lost communication with them, brothers, nephews.
- And why is not paid you?
- Wow! At first because I am not what I said Calderon, that we were lazy. Outraged adds: 'If I liquidate would accept what the Lord says. But being here in this camp, day and night in the rain and sun we are saying that we did not work the math. If we were what he and the press said, we were lazy, privileged and irresponsible, it would still be fighting. And I'm sure we will succeed.
- What does it take to succeed?
- More connection between all of us, workers the country. The support of more organizations of all, because sometimes do give us support, but nomas originate, arise and go.
- Tomorrow (Sunday) will arrive at this place the caravan that comes from Cuernavaca, Morelos, peace with dignity and demanding the return of the army to barracks. What do you think Calderon's war against what he called organized crime? Elvira
meditate a bit and with a smile says, "That man is as whimsical. All that does is done on a whim and has to be as he says. Does not behave like a president. It looks like a king. I do not know what to call it. It has no feelings. But we were wrong. But still trying to defeat. To have detained comrades, and electricians are twelve political prisoners. A Rios Miguel Marquez is accused of kidnapping of several federal. By himself!
- Do you and your colleagues have been harassed?
- Yes, the office section are encouraging people not pay the light. We have tables of complaints and a table at the branch Anahuac (at Navy) and there are two partners and fellow commissioners, various offices, then we get on Tuesdays and Thursdays and to intimidate us send a policeman to threaten us with which we will take to the feds, because lots of people to ask support to put your complaint in the high fees it charges the Federal Electricity Commission (CFE). But we're not doing anything wrong if we do not. People come to us for support and we support each other "
- How do you maintain high morale, fighting spirit?
- Elvira looks at me as if surprised, because apparently nobody had done before that question. He eyes fill with tears and tells us that at first became very depressed. His mother also was very sad. Several comrades, both the resistance and those who cleared, have committed suicide. Many have become sick with diabetes, cancer, etc.. I wonder whether they had any psychological support professional to recover the spirit and I said: We are fighting off depression here with our brothers and sisters! I take note. Just in case.
The union leadership has said that the fight for reemployment for a replacement pattern is fought in three fronts: legal, and political mobilization, seeking to convince lawmakers to create an electrical company for the Federal District.
A few yards from where we are talking is located a table of complaints and a retired electrician passers collects signatures to repudiate the installation of prepayment meters, presented by the CFE as a modern marvel. You hear a song by Eugenia León, El Barzon.
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