Latin American celebration in Brisbane
By Bill Mason
BRISBANE — "Our victory was for everyone, not just for the El Salvadoran workers", Jorge Rodriguez, spokesperson for the Spanish-speaking workers at Steel-Line Doors, told the audience at a Latin American Night at the Resistance Centre here on August 19.
Rodriguez and other workmates from the long-running dispute at the plant were guests of honour at a night held to celebrate their win in the Anti-Discrimination Tribunal in early August. A settlement was reached in which the employer apologised for racial discrimination against them and $120,000 in compensation is to be paid to them.
"The dignity of migrant workers in Australia is growing", Rodriguez said. "The dispute was an example for many migrant workers, and Australian workers too."
"We received phone calls of congratulation from many other migrant communities, including the Vietnamese, Filipino, Fijian and Papua New Guineans", he added.
"On behalf of the Central American Migrant Workers Community, we thank the Democratic Socialist Party and other organisations for their support", Rodriguez concluded.
The night also was a welcome-home for a number of members of the recent work brigade to Nicaragua, who returned this month after a work-study tour of the Central American country, sponsored by the Committee in Solidarity with Central American and the Caribbean.