April 25 2016

The day of today was centered on countering the political operation of the Government authorizing strike-breaking teachers in Tierra del Fuego schools.  
The mobilization of a SUTEF picket to the Ministry of educationprevented it, and the Government suffered a tactical political defeat.

At dawn, defying the cold, teaching activists gathered at the Ministry of education, to prevent the appointment of teacher strike-breakers.
Tension was extreme even though there was no physical confrontation, and to the tenacity of the teaching base, with their picket they made senior officials of reactionary Governor Bertone retreat; like their Santiago del Estero work-mates of the SISADOC at the other end of the country they strengthened their fight, waging a major tactical political defeat to the Government.

Later, from 3pm, the fighting teachers concentrated in the main hall of their Union building on Irigoyen St. and there they made a balance sheet  of the fight and an evaluation of the moment of their combat, along with the 22 other state workers unions. 

There were considerations and political debate about how to continue the struggle, which is now 56 days long in strike and has already transformed - despite the isolation of the national trade union bureaucracies –into an exemplary reference for the entire Argentine working class and the Americas.
No doubt this fight will have its denouement in the political arena; beside the delaying maneuvers and the traps of mediations, the outcome will depend on the relationship of forces imposed by the fight in the streets. 

The impoverishment and the health of thousands of working families depend on whether the anti-labor laws are repealed or not, and also the continuation or the end of the political life of Governor Bertone.  

The Assembly votedhands up to redouble the fight and continue the strike, knowing that their Santa Cruz and Santiago del Estero work-mates had renewed the fight plan for this week and the Neuquen onesare just returning to fight in defense of their social service and while the whole country is filled with dismissed and suspended workers throughout all the industries. Example of this are the thousands of lay-offs that already exist in the Tierra del Fuego assemblers;unless themetal workers of the UOM close ranks with the Government worker fighters  hunger and ruin are waiting for them. Enough of the division among the worker ranks!  

The taskis on the order of the day of breaking the isolation and concentrate all forces of the workers in struggle unifying claims in a single list of demands and founding a great National Coordinator body of delegates authorized by the base; to organize a fight Plan that culminates in the first national General strike against the anti-labor and reactionary Macri government and all its partners like Bertone and Alicia K.          

The signatory of this note had the honor to be present in the Assembly of SUTEF (Teachers’ Union of Tierra del Fuego); and as a member of the International Network in Defense of Political Prisoners in the world, acted with an emphasis on strengthening ties to international level with workers and youth who fight against the same executioners, who are that 1% of big imperialist parasites that dominate the world economy. The attack in Tierra del Fuego and all over Argentina is similar for example to that unleashed by Syriza in Greece and by Hollande in France;then, in response to it there was already the first general strike in France and French youth get together every night and are launching an international appeal from Nuit Debout (Standing up every Night) to coordinate a global fight day next May.

The time has arrived to retrace the steps of our grandparents who founded the first trade unions in Rebel Patagonia; joint with their brethren in Europe and North America. Today it is on the order of the day that next May 1 workers in icy southernland of Tierra del Fuego stained by the blood of fellow worker Víctor Choque embrace Paris fighters over the distance and thus effectiveworking class internationalismbegins to be restored, as the only way to defeat the scourge of corrupt Union bureaucracies that give out our struggles for a "bowl of lentil stew”.  Long live the struggle of the workers in Tierra del Fuego!. 

This May 1 let the hearts vibrate in fights from Tierra del Fuego to Paris torebellious Athens to indomitable Aleppo; from Guerrero and Oaxaca to Oakland to Zimbabwe, Marikana and throughout black Africa to rebel Donetsk; the cry of internationalist war must rumble as when the world workers movement was founded two centuries ago: the liberation of the workers will be the task of the workers themselves!  

      
Correspondent