Oil unions condemn socialist demands in Venezuela

[Zorro]

Source: AP

Union leaders on Wednesday condemned a warning by President Hugo Chavez's oil minister that workers in Venezuela's petroleum industry should be socialists or face suspicions they are conspiring against the government.

State-run Petroleos de Venezuela SA, or PDVSA, has followed a strongly pro-Chavez line since a 2002-03 oil strike that unsuccessfully sought to force Chavez from office and brought thousands of firings at the company.

Union leaders now are accusing the government of not respecting workers' rights to their own political views.

In a televised speech to workers Tuesday, Oil Minister Rafael Ramirez said employees who do not join socialist community groups organized by the governing party would be suspected of "conspiring against the revolution."

Read more: http://finance.yahoo.com/news/Oil-unions-condemn-socialist-apf-1133337105.html?x=0&.v=3

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Sounds as if the Venezuelan oil unions consider Ramirez' comments a threat, despite attempts by the Chavistas to dismiss it as mere "political rhetoric".

[clixtox]

1. Please, please don't take the bait...

and respond to this embroilment attempt.

Thank you

[COLGATE4]

4. Is it an 'embroilment attempt'?

How is it an "embroilment attempt" to report what was said to union members of PDVSA by the official representative of the Venezuelan government for their sector? Is this quote incorrect?

From many recent postings on DU it seems to me that any news which reflects poorly on Chavez is immediately attacked by his supporters on DU. In this case, rather than address the merits of what was reported. This response is a classic straw man is being used to divert attention away from the genuine issue.

[DavidDvorkin]

2. And the defenders flood onto the field

Three ... two ... one ...

[AlphaCentauri]

3. I didn't know Unions were a product of Capitalism

The things I've been learning lately

[SkyDaddy7]

6. YES! When you mix DU & Chavez...

Logic goes out the window...As many think Chavez does no wrong and anyone complaining or challenging Chavez is part of a Right Wing Conspiracy against him. Or at least that is what I take from many of the comments I have read here on DU when it comes to the Great Chavez!

Ok, I will take the my beating now!

[endarkenment]

5. How about posting this every day?

:sarcasm:

[LiberalLovinLug]

7. Blah Blah Blah

Why do these stories where a left leaning leader goes too far and makes mistakes (yes they do) turn into arguments, not about the actual story, but about how many apologists will come out of the woodwork from DU? Why waste your time projecting how a story will be reacted to? And in turn, reacting to the projections of these reactionaries?

Why not just admit that Chavez has done some great things not only for his own country, but for all of Latin America. And he is to be commended for standing up to the Bush Crime Family. I was in awe of him when he gave his "I can still smell the smoke of the Devil" speech at the UN. But, like all humans he has his faults. He should rightly be criticized for this. I am glad that DU is a place where stories that cast an unfavorable light on a leftist hero can be found.

Although with the new "improved" negative approval system, it probably won't last long.

[WriteDown]

8. But wasn't this just a political rally as some stated?

:rofl: