The coke plant was in mexico. The mercenary was being interviewed on a show on TV. He refused to name the company who shot strikers to break a union attempt to organize their plant. But later he accidentally let it slip out saying, "After that Coke didn't have any more trouble." When he realized he slipped up he was concerned that he was going to get a phone call, presumably there were going to be repercussions for his comment. That interview was on a long time ago, maybe 7-8 years ago. As for the corruption of the mexican politicians, judges and police it's legendary. I wouldn't think I would need to defend that. But they don't have a corner on that market, look at russia. Graft can be found most anywhere. People always seem to give in to the profit motive. This is a test, Offer me a bribe.
Well, 7-8 years ago I did not see the interview, I am sure you do not remember the channel, or interviewer, etc.... No ? seems vague to me... well, I doubt it anyway, since......
That would put us in say 1991-92. Still the era of the legendary union Leader Fidel Velázquez. An incredible powerful man, (with no education past 6th. grade), who managed to rule, single handedly 99 % of the unions in Mexico, (and probably 100 % through indirect influence). From 1941 through 1997, when he died at the ripe young age of 97. No doubt an amazing man, and equaly amazing, how corrupt he was.
A king of sorts, a man, that as far as power was concerned, he easily outlived all of the Mexican presidents that presided while he was active. (except, of course when he died). I doubt very much that the Coca Cola company would have been stupid enough to do as you suggest.
You see, Coca Cola is not precisely your cash & carry corner store, hence, at some point, they would have had to have "clearance" from Don Fidel to "set up shop" in old Mexico.
My point was to address the fact that many times we simply repeat what the media in their misinformation task, put in our minds and then, many, without further investigation, simply repeat what at first seems to be the truth. Or worse.... we just throw stories without thinking, only we know that "sounds good".
Not that corruption does not exists in Mexico, they even coined a phrase there... "La Mordida" (the bite.. meaning bribe). No they did not invent corruption, but they managed to elevated to a level of... well, respectability in certain circles.
Might it be possible that the union you are referring to was not the 'official' Union "blessed' by the local Mafiosi Señor Fidel Velázquez?
Therefore, perhaps only perhaps, it was really the hired hands of Don Fidel, who executed the deed you referred to..... only perhaps, and then use the media to create a fantasy so the American public eats the story that the evil forces of American Multinationals are beating up on the poor workers of third world countries.
By the way..... The owners of these "Evil Monsters of Capitalism" are shareholders.... many of those, are regular good ole' boyz of the almighty U. S. of A. Do you think these guys are also "evil" ?
Here is an excerpt of an obituary written about Don Fidel:
(bold emphasis mine)
___________________________________________________________________
Fidel's Legacy
Few American labor leaders had the impact of Don Fidel Velazquez. One thinks perhaps of Juan Lechin, head of the Bolivan Workers Center (COB) who led the federation from the 1940s into the 1990s. Or of George Meany who headed the American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO) of the United States. But Fidel started earlier and lasted longer than both of them.
What then is the legacy of Don Fidel? Mexican workers typically earn between $3.00 and $10.00 U.S. dollars per day, the lowest paid industrial workers in the world. Mexican workers face high unemployment, and while there are no exact figures, many experts estimate the combined under- and unemployment rate at 25 percent.
More important than the economic situation in which he has left the workers, Fidel Velazquez repeatedly frustrated the Mexican workers' attempts to create unions independent of the state and the employers. Velazquez made it difficult and at times nearly impossible for workers to pass on democratic traditions, or traditions of militancy and struggle. Perhaps worst of all Fidel Velazquez's political manipulation of the unions tended to make workers cynical about the possibility of genuine unionism.
So, Fidel Velazquez dies, and it would take a Dante to imagine the circle of hell to which he now goes. But perhaps Fidel has done his first good deed for the Mexican workers, for as he dies he lifts off their backs the terrible weight they have born all of these years, the enormous weight of the man of the state.
Perhaps Mexico's workers will take advantage of Fidel's long-delayed demise to begin to construct another independent, democratic, militant unionism which speaks to all of Mexico's millions of working people, peasants, poor and unemployed.
__________________________________________________________________
The entire text:
igc.apc.org
Now, do not misunderstand me.
I am NOT a collectivist, nor an advocate of any similar propaganda.
In short I am an individualist... I am me. Yes most probably in your eyes, evil, as I believe in being selfish. Nothing wrong with that. As you can be assured that I will not be coming to your door asking for unearned favors.
I am a believer of the Free Market System.
But I do believe in hearing the other side, until nonsense gets in the way... then I just change channels, as life is too short to argue.
People always seem to give in to the profit motive.
Nothing wrong in that. Much better than bribes, would you not agree ?
Last I checked, Profit was not the same as bribe.
Under Profit, you must associate, capital, knowledge, work, risk, reward, and incentive.
Under bribe, you must include, moochers, undue use of power, non-productiveness, and probably illegality.
Could it be, in certain examples, that the system of bribes might be a way for people making the system more efficient. I am not supporting bribes, I am merely pointing out specific realities, more prevalent in Latin America.
As for my last question, since you did not addressed it nor expressed your opinion, I will just state mine just in case you were wondering where I am coming from:
Re:
4. Whose right is it to "move the factory, to _______ ", (fill in the blank), anyway ?
As we all know, we are moving to a global economy. I would assume that if an owner(s) has the right to ownership to his factory, he is completely free to choose where the best environment exists for his capital, and obviously he has the right to seek the best possible return for the same.
As we said, many of these companies, have millions of shareholders, and as we described, many are regular good guys from America.
As a shareholder, I would not only expect that the field marshals in charge of the corporations, would move the factories to where the best effective environment exists in order to fulfill the SINGLE OBJECTIVE of said corporation, which is TO PROFIT, I would demand it.
And as for "not having health care"...
Did you know, that every single man and woman that is gainfully employed has access to at least ONE of two national health system clinics ?
IMSS (for private industry employees) and ISSTE for (Government employees). (generally referred as 'Social Security', different from what it is known in the US.
No they are certainly NOT the best, (particularly in some cities), but at least is nearly free. Everyone in Mexico who is employed pays about 7 % of their salaries, the employer pays the other 7%. I may be off in the percentages, as it has been a while that I was up to date with those laws.
This explains (in English), the Mexican health care system; might be a little outdated):
medixb.webnet.net
IMSS site:
imss.gob.mx
Foreign comments re: living in Mexico and Health care:
mexconnect.com
So your assertions about workers in Mexico are moonshine.
Have a good evening. |
