,! ,MY? ( 'CO-MANAGEM5T' 9 ,V5EZUELA 

,PEOPLE 3 

,AU?OR 3 ,EL ,LIB]T>IO ,$ITORIAL ,COLLECTIVE 

,TEXT 3 

,) A LOT ( RHETORIC & PROPAG&A ! ,*AVEZ ADM9I/RATION HAS ADVANC$ DIFF]5T EXAMPLES ( CO-MANAGEM5T :I*1 !Y CLAIM1 DEMON/RATE !IR DESIRE TO TRANS=M ,V5EZUELA'S RELATIONS ( PRODUCTION4 ,A COMPAN]O FROM ,EUROPE VISIT$ US REC5TLY & GOT TO KN[ TWO ( ! MO/ CELEBRAT$ CASES3 ,ALCASA & ,9VEPAL4 ,H]E IS ! REPORT HE PREP>$ = ,EL ,LIB]T@>IO _? #ea AB\T ! ACTUAL WORK+ CONDITIONS 9 ! C\NTRY'S MO/ 0IMPORTANT0 CO-MANAG$ BUS9ESSES4 

,ALCASA IS AN ,ALUM9UM FACTORY LOCAT$ 9 ,CIUDAD ,GUAYANA1 SOME #h KM S\?-EA/ ( ,C>ACAS4 ,ACCORD+ TO (FICIAL ACC\NTS IT IS AN EXAMPLE 0P>-EXCELLANCE0 ( CO-MANAGEM5T4 ,9 ORD] TO 0*ANGE ! RELATIONS ( PRODUCTION0 9SIDE ! FACTORY ! GOV]NM5T PLAC$ IT UND] ! CONTROL ( A 0REVOLUTION>Y0 MANAG] -- AN OLD-GU>D ACTIVI/ ( ! RADICAL LEFT :OSE IDEOLOGICAL DISC\RSE IS 9FLU5C$ BY ELEM5TS ( ! ,FRANKFURT ,S*OOL & SPR9KL$ ) REF]5CES TO ! ,M>XI/1 ANTI-,L59I/1 ,PANNEKOEK4 

,ALCASA EMPLOYS SOME #c1 WORK]S4 ,TO BEG9 )1 ! FACTORY 7LIKE O!RS 9 ! C\NTRY SU* AS ! PRIVATELY RUN COMPANY ,S,I,D,O,R7 \<T TO BE IMM$IATELY %UT-D[N DUE TO ITS UN-HEAL?Y WORK+ CONDITIONS4 ,AFT] #b YE>S ( S]VICE 9 ! PLANT1 WORK]S RESEMBLE ! WALK+-DEAD1 CONTAM9AT$ BY ! HI<-GRADE ALUM9UM DU/ :I* SL[LY DEV\RS !IR LUNGS4 ,NEV] M9D ?AT ! :OLE WORLD KN[S AB\T ! LE?AL SIDE-EFFECTS ( ALUM9UM DU/1 ! SITUATION AT ,ALCASA CONT9UES UN*ANG$4 ,= !IR P>T1 ! WORK]S >GUE ?AT !Y NE$ TO FE$ !IR FAMILIES & E>N 5\< MONEY TO LIVE ON AFT] !IR CU/OM>Y #b YE>S ( S]VICE TO ! COMPANY IS OV]4 ,NOT SURPRIS+LY1 !Y HAVE REJECT$ ! 9ITIAL (F] MANAGEM5T MADE ON !IR BEHALF3 ! TYPICAL F>-LEFT PROPOSAL ( R$UC+ ! H\RS ( ! WORK+ WEEK4 ,! WORK]S' CLAIM ?AT ?IS R$UCTION W\LD LEAD TO ! CREATION ( AN 5TIRELY NEW %IFT-ROTATION & ELIM9ATE ! POSSIBILITY ( !IR E>N+ OV]-TIME4 ,! MANAGEM5T HAS DRAWN ! POLITICAL CONCLUSION FROM ?IS REJECTION ?AT ! WORK]S >E 0TOO EGOTI/ICAL10 ?AT !Y >E 0ONLY 9T]E/$ 9 MONEY10 &1 !RE=E1 >E 9 NE$ ( POLITICAL-IDEOLOGICAL RE-TRA9+ 9 ! CLASSROOM4 ,! REFUSAL ( WORK]S TO QUIETLY ACCEPT !IR PROGRAM APP>5TLY 0CONFIRMS0 = !M ,PANNEKOEK'S !SIS ?AT SYNDICALISM IMP$ES ! =MATION ( CLASS CONSCI\SNESS4 

,MU* ( ! MA*9]Y ,ALCASA B\<T :5 ! COMPANY WAS F\ND$ SOME #d YE>S AGO IS /ILL 9 S]VICE1 & EV5 ! 0MOD]N0 EQUIPM5T IS AT LEA/ #b YE>S OLD4 ,! TE*NOLOGY IS OBSOLETE & SOME ( IT IS NO LONG] FUNCTIONAL4 ,PRODUCTION CAPACITY IS SC>CELY RUNN+ AT #f.04 ,AL?\< SUPPLY HAS CONT9U$ TO MEET DEM& ON ! M>KET1 ! 9T]NATIONAL PRICE ( ALUM9UM HAS /AGNAT$ 9 REC5T YE>S & ! F9ANCIAL LOSS TO ! COMPANY HAS BE5 5ORM\S4 ,IT APPE>S1 H[EV]1 ?AT NEI!R ! /ATE NOR COMPANY MANAGEM5T HAS EFFICI5CY OR PR(IT1 9 ! CAPITALI/ S5SE1 AS ITS ULTIMATE OBJECTIVE4 ,9 PRIVATE1 MANAGEM5T COMPLA9S ?AT M9I/]IAL BUREAUCRACY BLOCKS ! F9ANC+ NECESS>Y = TE*NOLOGICAL R5OVATION :ILE 9SIDE ! FACTORY !Y CONT9UE !IR C\RSES D$ICAT$ TO POLITICAL-IDEOLOGY4 ,MANAGEM5T HAS CONTRACT$ PRIVATE P]SONNEL TO LEAD !IR RE$UCATION SESSIONS3 OLD MILITANTS FROM ! SAME POLITICAL GR\P AS ! FACTORY'S DIRECTOR4 ,WORK]S >E 9VIT$ TO ATT5D !SE MEET+S = UP TO ONE WEEK -- & EV5TUALLY LONG] -- :ILE RECEIV+ TIME-(F FROM !IR JOBS ) PAY4 ,AN EXAMPLE ( ! DISCUSSIONS ?AT TAKE PLACE >E ! DIFF]5CE BETWE5 ,NORMATIVE ,PLANN+ 70,B\RGEOIS07 & ,/RATEGIC ,PLANN+ 70,REVOLUTION>Y07 CIT+ ,M>X1 ,GRAMSCI1 ,ADORNO1 ETC41 )\T 9TRODUC+ 9TO ! DISCUSSION ANY CONCRETE ISSUES FAC+ WORK]S 9SIDE ! ,ALCASA FACTORY4 

,! WAGE POLICY 

  

,)9 ! FACTORY SAL]IES V>Y ACCORD+ TO QUALIFICATION & S5ORITY --!RE >E SIGNIFICANT DIFF]5CES BETWE5 EMPLOYES4 ,! WORK]S DO1 H[EV]1 RECEIVE A RELATIVELY HI< WAGE4 ,! 5TRY-LEVEL SAL]Y IS APPROXIMATELY #e ,EUROS -- ?REE TIMES ! M9IMUM-WAGE -- & ! M$IUM SAL>Y IS D\BLE ?IS AM\NT4 ,BUT !RE IS H>DLY A TRACE ( ! CO-MANAGEM5T ANN\NC$ AT ! \TSET ( ! PROJECT4 ,AT ! 9ITIATION ( CO-MANAGEM5T 9 #b#e1 ?REE REPRES5TATIVES P]-WORK%OP W]E ELECT$ & ONE YE> LAT] !RE IS ONLY ONE3 :O ONLY VISITS HIS FELL[-WORK]S ON OCCASSION4 ,!RE IS ALREADY NO PLACE = R\ND-TABLE DEBATES AB\T WORK+ CONDITIONS & 0TEAM ASSEMBLIES0 ONLY OCCUPY !MSELVES ) QUE/IONS SU* AS H[ TO KEEP ! BA?ROOMS CLEAN & DI/RIBUTE WORK-CLO!S4 ,IF A WORK] W]E ASK$ :AT CO-MANAGEM5T HAS DONE = !M1 !Y W\LD NOT HAVE A CLE> ANSW]4 ,!Y W\LD SAY1 0ITS GOOD10 0WE RAIS$ PRODUCTION10 ETC41 OR SIMPLY 0WE'RE /ILL WORK+ ! SAME AS ALWAYS40 ,IF ONE 9SI/$ ON A MORE CONCRETE RESPONSE !Y MI<T HE>1 0,IT'S BETT] IF ,I DON'T SAY ANY?+1 ,I DON'T WANT TO HAVE ANY PROBLEMS40 ,NEV] W\LD IT OCCUR TO !M TO M5TION ANY S]I\S P>TICIPATION 9 ! /RATEGIC DECISIONS CONC]N+ ! PROCESS ( PRODUCTION OR ADM9I/RATION ( ! FACTORY4 ,ON ! CONTR>Y1 = SOME ! SITUATION HAS ACTUALLY DET]IORAT$3 = ?OSE WORK]S FROM ! OLD BUS9ESSES :O ORGA9Z$ !MSELVES 9TO COOP]ATIVES DUR+ ! ]A ( \T-S\RC+ 9 ORD] TO RETA9 !IR JOBS4 

,!SE COOP]ATIVE WORK]S 7SOME #f7 >E PUT TO WORK DIRECTLY 9 ! PROCESS ( PRODUCTION 9 ! SAME MANN] AS ! O!R EMPLOYES ( ! FACTORY BUT >E EXCLUD$ FROM ! 0CO-MANAGEM5T40 ,!Y >E NOT ABLE TO USE ! COMPANY'S AUTOBUSSES TO TRAVEL TO & FROM WORK & >E NOT ABLE TO EAT 9 ! CAFET]IA4 ,!Y DO NOT RECEIVE EXTRA B5EFITS SU* AS ! 5D ( ! YE> BONUS 7EQUAL TO #c OR #d MON?S SAL>Y7 & :5 !Y BECOME SICK1 !Y LOSE !IR PAY4 ,!SE WORK]S >E NOT PROTECT$ BY ! COLLECTIVE CONTRACT BUT >E 9/EAD PAID BY ! COOP]ATIVE :I* HAS AN 9DEP5D5T S]VICE CONTRACT ) ,ALCASA4 ,AS A CONSEQU5CE EA* COOP]ATIVE WORK] RECEIVES A SPECIFIC SUM ( MONEY = A SPECIFICALLY DESIGNAT$ TASK & NO?+ MORE4 ,IT IS EVID5T ?AT ! COOP]ATIVES FUNCTION AS A =M ( MICRO-BUS9ESS :I* ONLY P]PETUATES ! PREC>I\S /ATUS ( LABOR 9 ! CORPORATE WORLD4 ,EV5 MORE TR\BL+ IS ! FACT ?AT MEMB]S ( DIFF]5T COOP]ATIVES R>ELY COMMUNICATE ) ONE ANO!R & HAVE FAIL$ TO COLLECTIVELY D5\NCE !IR SITUATION4 ,EA* IS LEFT ALONE ) !IR ANG] & FRU/RATION4 ,! O!R WORK]'S AT ,ALCASA ONLY DEMON/RATE !IR SOLID>ITY ) !SE CASUALIZ$ LABOR]S 9 A DI/ANT1 AB/RACT WAY3 AFT] ALL1 0! ADM9I/RATION ALREADY TRI$ TO IMPROVE !IR SITUATION40 ,& ! RESPONSE TO A COOP]ATIVE WORK] :O COMPLA9S AB\T !IR PLI<T8 ,TO P>TICIPATE 9 ! 0POLITICAL0 C\RSES WE REF]$ TO E>LI]6 

,9VEPAL3 ,A PAP] FACTORY 

  

,LOCAT$ 9 ,MORON1 SOME #bKM EA/ ( ,C>ACAS1 ?IS BUS9ESS WAS CLOS$ BY ITS PREVI\S [N]4 ,! WORK]S F\<T = TWO YE>S TO KEEP !IR JOBS BE=E IT WAS F9ALLY EXPROPRIAT$ BY ! ,/ATE 7) A L>GE COMP5SATION GO+ TO ITS PROPRIETOR7 & TRANS=M$ 9TO A CO-MANAG$ BUS9ESS4 ,! NE>LY #d WORK]S W]E ASK$ TO =M A COOP]ATIVE & PUR*ASE #d#i.0 ( ! COMPANY'S %>ES ) ! REMA9+ #e#a.0 GO+ TO ! ,/ATE4 ,TO ACCOMPLI% ?IS1 ! COOP]ATIVE TOOK \T A LOAN ) A PRIVATE BANK4 ,= ITS P>T1 ,9VEPAL SUBCONTRACT$ AS MANY POSITIONS AS IT DEEM$ NECESS>Y = ! OP]ATION ( ! COMPANY 7& :O !RE=E W]E NOT P>T ( ! COOP]ATIVE74 ,9 TOTAL1 !Y EMPLOY$ SOME #fe WORK]S4 

,! EQUIPM5T AT ,9VEPAL IS ! SAME AS WAS ORIG9ALLY 9/ALL$ :5 ! FACTORY OP5$ 9 #a#i#e#g4 ,IT IS TOTALLY OBSOLETE & 9 A /ATE ( DISREPAIR4 ,! CAPACITY ( ! MA*9]Y IS RUNN+ AT AN ABYSMAL #b.04 ,?IS IS 9 P>T DUE TO A DEFECTIVE 9T]NAL ELECTRICITY G5]ATOR & ! IRREGUL> DELIV]Y ( RAW MAT]IALS FROM ,>G5T9A & ,COLOMBIA4 ,9 TOTAL1 ! LOSSES >E E/IMAT$ TO BE MORE ?AN #b MILLION ,EURO A YE> & ! FACTORY CONT9UES TO OP]ATE ONLY ?ANKS TO ! HELP ( ! ,/ATE4 ,WE CAN SEE ?AT ! LOGIC ( 0WELF>E0 HAS SIMPLY TAK5 ! PLACE ( ! CAPITALI/ LOGIC ( 0PRODUCTION40 

,! /ATE1 ) ITS #e#a.01 HAS ABSOLUTE CONTROL OV] ! ADM9I/RATION ( ! FACTORY 7! MANAG] IS ALSO ! ,M9I/] ( ,LABOR7 & H>DLY PASSES ON ANY 9=MATION TO WORK]S 9 ! COOP]ATIVES4 ,BECAUSE !IR PREVI\S REPRES5TATIVES SIMPLY TOL]AT$ ?IS /ATE-(-AFFAIRS1 AT ! BEG9N+ ( #bf ! COOP]ATIVE WORK]S ELECT$ NEW1 MORE RADICAL MANAGEM5T :O >E 9 CON/ANT CONFLICT ) ,9VEPAL -- AL?\< ! ACTUAL SITUATION HAS NOT *ANG$ SUB/ANTIALLY4 ,UND] ! NEW ADM9I/RATION1 ! VOLUME ( PRODUCTION HAS REMA9$ ESS5TIALLY ! SAME4 ,! COOP]ATIVE WORK]S HAVE WEEKLY MEET+S 9 :I* !Y ORGANIZE ! WORK ( EA* SECTION -- )\T SUP]VISION OR DEP>TM5T HEADS -- & !Y >E MU* MORE HAPPY ) ! CLIMATE ON ! FACTORY FLOOR4 ,9VEPAL'S MANAGEM5T HAS YET TO 9T]F]E 9 ?IS AUTONOM\S PROCESS BUT :5 ! WORK]S RECEIV$ !IR 5D ( ! YE> BONUS = #bf IT WAS LESS 7#c MON?S SAL>Y7 ?AN ! PREVI\S YE> 7#d MON?S74 ,9 REPLY ! WORK]S TOOK TO ! /REETS 9 A RAGE1 PROTE/+ ! R$UCTION BY BLOCK+ TRAFFIC4 ,CONSID]+ ?AT 9 ! F9AL ANALYSIS MANAGEM5T FAILS TO GIVE MU* IMPORTANCE TO ! PROCESS ( PRODUCTION1 NOBODY ?\<T TO DECL>E !MSELVES 0ON /RIKE0 BECAUSE UND] !SE CIRCUM/ANCES IT IS NOT AN EFFECTIVE =M ( PRESSURE4 ,FUR!RMORE1 !Y W]E NOT ABLE TO TAKE LEGAL ACTION S9CE !Y >E NOT PROTECT$ BY ANY =M ( COLLECTIVE CONTRACT2 AT ! 5D ( ! DAY !Y >E A MEMB] ( A COOP]ATIVE & !Y >E SIMPLY WORK+ AS 0CO-PROPRIETORS0 ( ! BUS9ESS4 ,ONE MI<T ADD TO ?IS ! FACT ?AT EV]YONE 9 ! COOP]ATIVE RECEIVES ! SAME SAL>Y3 A SITUATION NOT EXACTLY ! RESULT ( A DECISION MAK+ PROCESS BAS$ ON SOLID>ITY6 ,EV5 ! WORK]S !MSELVES CONSID] ?IS >RANGEM5T TO BE UNJU/4 ,!Y RES5T IT AS A NEGATIVE CONSEQU5CE ( !IR P>TICIPATION 9 A COOP]ATIVE4 

,WORK]S >E N[ PLAC+ !IR HOPES 9 ! PREP]ATION & IMPLIM5TATION ( A S]IES ( /ATUTES :I* WILL1 AT LA/1 DEF9ITIVELY CL>IFY !IR RI<TS AS WORK+ MEMB]S ( ! COOP]ATIVE4 ,:5 WE ASK !IR OP9ION RESPECT+ CO-MANAGEM5T1 !Y REPLY3 0,?IS IS ! SAME AS ALWAYS1 ! LEVEL ( EXPLOITATION WAS ! SAME BE=E AS IT IS N[40 ,MOREOV]1 BECAUSE ! COOP]ATIVE HAS NOT BE5 ABLE TO PAY ITS DEBTS TO ! BANKS1 ! BUS9ESS 7OR AS ! CASE MAY BE1 ! ,/ATE7 HAS NE$$ TO PAY IT = !M4 ,! 5D RESULT IS ?AT ! COOP]ATIVE WORK]S >E N[ F9ANCIALLY 5DEBT$ TO ,9VEPAL4 

,! WORK]S HAVE NOT HE>D ANY?+ AB\T ! FILM1 0#e FACTORIES3 ,WORK+-CLASS CONTROL 9 ,V5EZUELA10 :I* WAS FILM$ AT ,9VEPAL & EXT5SIVELY EXHIBIT$ ABROAD1 ESPECIALLY 9 ,EUROPE6 ,9 SPITE ( ! CRITIQUES ?AT WORK]S HAVE ( ! ,M9I/] ( ,LABOR_/,MANAG] ( ,9VEPAL1 !Y SUPPORT$ ! REELECTION ( ,*AVEZ4 ,ON ! OCCASSION ( A VISIT FROM ! /ATE TELEVISION *ANNEL1 !Y DECID$ NOT TO SAY ANY?+ AB\T :AT HAS BE5 TRANSPIR+ AT ! FACTORY 9 ORD] NOT TO SL&] ! IMAGE ( !IR FAVOR$ C&IDATE4 

7,S\RCE3 ,RETRIEV$ ON #b#b-#d-#f FROM LIBCOM4ORG47 

,FROM 3 ,!,AN>*I/,LIBR>Y4ORG4 

,*RONOLOGY 3 
,JANU>Y #a#e1 #bbb 3 ,! ,MY? ( 'CO-MANAGEM5T' 9 ,V5EZUELA -- ,ADD$4 

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