ROMANIA
Free trade unions begin to emerge
DRAFT program of forge workers at Brasov Tractor factory
1. Depoliticization of the work in the enterprise.
2. Freedom of oral and written expression without restrictions or intimidation.
3. The creation of a free union of workers in the forge which will defend their rights through its freely elected leaders.
4. The right to conduct organized strikes, in accordance with the laws in force, in consonance with the urgent needs of the workers' collective in our section, as well as the right of the workers to negotiate, through their representatives, with the management over major problems such as work, working conditions, wages, and social conditions for all workers.
5. The right of solidarity with other committees in the enterprise and outside with respect to their rights.
6. Improvement of working and living conditions in order to assure a civilized and dignified life.
7. Respect for the eight-hour day. Over-
- Documents time can be worked on the request of the enterprise in agreement with the unions and at rates of pay in accordance with the labor code.
7. Respect for Sunday as a day of rest.
9. Respect for the major religious holidays (Easter, Christmas) through the granting of time off.
10. Reduction of the workweek to five days.
111. Assurance of free medical and social assistance for the forge workers, both in the enterprise and in social life.
12. For the fulfillment of the production plan transmitted by T. 31 (the Production Service), we request the following:
La. Assurance of basic material and energy supplies in accordance with fundamental technological norms.
Mb. Assurance of technical competence.
Gc. Assurance of repairs and of spare parts in accordance with manuals issued by the producers of machines and installations.
Pd. Assurance of a workforce for the maintenance and supervision of the technical level, as well as of productive personnel at the necessary levels.
13. The stabilization of a qualified work force in the hot sectors through the following measures:
a. Group I pensions retroactively for all employees.
b. Food for all personnel to counter the toxic effects, and bonuses for toxidity.
c. Free medical care for special problems.
d. A system of steel production in accordance with norms for personnel, wages, protection and work.
14. Abrogation of the rules requiring financial contributions by persons without children.
15. No limitations on the wages that workers and technical personnel can earn in accordance with the quantity and quality of work done.
15. The appointment in the machine shop of a chief of a team for major repairs and spare parts.
17. Preparation of a general overhaul of
Section T-32.
18. Generalization of the individual contract for personnel involved directly in production.
19. Exact definition of the roles of tech-
Draft Statutes of the Free Union in the Forge at Tracturul, Brasov
1. The free union at T-32 Is based on the workplace principle and the defense of the rights of its members with respect to the management of the workshop, section and enterprise management. 2. Membership in the T-32 free union is voluntary.
3. Decisions are by a simple absolute majority (over 50%) in all cases except strike votes, for which a vote of two-thirds of the membership Is required. 4. Union meetings are to be called at least once a month or at the request of at least one third of the membership 5. In its relations with other administrative bodies, the free union will be represented by its leader or his two deputies 6. The leader of the union and his two deputles will be elected democratically on a roughly yearly basis, and they may not be elected for two consecutive terms or more than four times In ten years 7. In order to avoid subjectivism, the union leader and his deputies may not hold political posts. 8. The union leader can only make decisions after consulting the union and alter ll gives him a mandate.
9. The leader and his deputles can be recalled by a simple majority at any time that the organization decides that they no longer represent it well. 10. Nominations to higher union bodies must be made Individually and not by slate. Such representatives cannot be leaders of the local unions
11. Local union leaders and representatives cannot have any more rights than any other union members.
12. Changes can be made In the statutes at organized meetings of the union by simple absolute majority (over 50%). * nical and productive personnel (review of the Table of Organization).
20. Priority for solving the housing problems of personnel working in the section.
21. An obligation for all workers to respect technological norms concerning the quality of production, failure to do so being punishable administrative sanctions in conformity with the laws in force.
22. Material incentives for inventions and innovations in order to improve efficiency.
23. The formation of hot sections in a separate autonomous factory for forged and cast parts.
As the free union, we call on all workers to respect work discipline and the technical experts (engineers, foremen, technicians, and the management of the production processes), whom we need.
All decisions by senior technical experts must be taken in the framework of rationality and collective analysis.
We appeal to all workers not to engage in acts of hooliganism and personal vengeance and to respect in a civilized and consistent way the laws of the country that are in force, as well as the rules of the work collective.
The National Salvation Commitee of Section T32 (The Forge), Tractorul, 7 Brasov *
ROMANIA
Program of the first congress of
Printworkers and
Journalists' unions
T HE free unions of journalists and HE free unions of journalists and printing workers of Romania will fight for the following rights: 1. The establishment, as juridic persons. of free publications persons, of free publications
2. The freedom to form associations in various fields in the framework of the Union of Journalists and the Federation of Free Unions of Printing Workers.
3. A guaranteed maximum workweek of 40 hours.
4. Assurance for printing workers and publication staffs of the best working conditions, heating, light, clean air, properly functioning equipment, a review of the number of hours necessary.
5. Assurance of protective equipment and other means of protection and sanitation in the work process.
6. The right of unions to petition, demonstrate, and strike in order to defend their members' interests and in order to win respect for fundamental human rights.
8. Regaining the rights that printing workers and journalists have benefited from in the past - lowering of the retirement age and reduction of worktime, more time off, bonuses to compensate for unhealthy conditions, and so on.
9. Defense of the social rights of union members — the right to a job and vacations, to education, to social and medical assistence, to protection and healthy working conditions.
HAVE You WORKED FOR CEALISESCU?
10. Paid days off for national and religious holidays.
11. Defense of the specific rights of young printing workers and journalists.
12. A guarantee of the right to information of all sorts necessary for freely exercising the profession.
13. Repeal of the 1974 press law and of all the regulations that restrict the rights of journalists and print workers; the passing of new laws, including a press law, after consultation with representatives of the union.
14. A guarantee of means for exercising the profession, through giving priority to, and reducing the prices of, typewriters, tape recorders, cameras, videos and reproduction equipment, personal calculators and so on.
15. Recognition of some lost rights, such as free travel for journalists on all means of public transport, air, marine and surface, necessary for the exercise of the profession. Free subscriptions to the written and electronic press, free access to all cultural and artistic performances and sporting events.
16. Assurance of wages in accordance with professional status and dignity for journalists and printing workers.
17. Additional pay for articles that help to increase circulation.
18. The granting of a substantial yearly prize by the union for outstanding work by journalists and printing workers.
YESHAVENT You?
8
PANCHO
International Viewpoint #177 • January 29, 1990
19. The possibility for perfecting one's knowledge of foreign languages, access to courses of all sorts, including for learning the techniques of video work.
20. Certificates for journalists who have not had this right in recent years.
21. Legal help for all sorts of litigation arising from the job or from journalistic activity.
22. Discounts on costs.of moving around the country and abroad for professional purposes.
23. The creation of journalists' and print workers' funds, as well as vacation funds.
24. The Creation of a Council of Honor to deal with litigation among journalists and cases of loss of professional status.
25. The union defends the right of opinion and fights against any attempts to force journalists, in any way, to write or publish articles contrary to their consciences or convictions.
26. Reinstatement and compensation of journalists and printing workers prevented from exercising their profession in the period of the dictatorship or wrongfully removed for opposition or other antidemocratic reasons.
27. Restoration of the former property of the Sindicata Ziaristilor [Journalists' Union], the Uniuni Ziaristilor [Journalists' Union], as well as the former Uniuni Presa-Poligrafie-Edituri. Guaranteeing by law the property of the Federation of Free Unions of Printing Workers and the Union of Journalists.
28. Establishment of pensions for printing workers and journalists in conformity with the generally accepted European norms. Additional pensions from the unions.
The Federation of Free Unions of Printing Workers and the Union of Journalists will have their own press organs. The Action Group *
USSR