New 🧵re: striking @BLHarbert construction workers building the new @usembassyhn. Remember knife threat gringo from my previous 🧵? The embassy whisked him out of the country hours later to avoid Honduran jail. Great job modeling #RuleOfLaw, @StateDept!

https://twitter.com/adriennepine/status/1554125954183827458

Since last week, @BLHarbert & @usembassyhn have doubled down on their illegal practices & harassment in an effort to wear down striking workers—who like most Hondurans are poor & have gone a month w/o pay—so they'll accept unsafe, immoral & unlawful working conditions.

Good morning! Here's a new thread on labor & human rights violations by @StateDept contractor @BLHarbert at the construction site of the new @usembassyhn. To start off, a video of Quality Control Manager Russell Brown, threateningly pulling a knife this AM in a crowd of workers: This thread picks up from the previous one, which you can find here:

https://twitter.com/adriennepine/status/1552664979140231174

Yesterday, construction workers building the new @usembassyhn engaged in a work stoppage & peaceful assembly & march to protest @USAmbHonduras's complicity in @BLHarbert's labor abuses again.

New thread; see link for previous:

https://twitter.com/adriennepine/status/1551930552659443712

Yesterday again, @BLHarbert workers protested against atrocious labor violations while building the new @usembassyhn, as their representatives went to @Trabajohn to continue their 24-day attempt to negotiate a resolution. Suspecting corruption, they called another protest today.

New thread re: Honduran workers building new @usembassyhn protesting atrocious labor conditions by @StateDept contractor @BLHarbert. This one is going to be a doozy, so stay tuned throughout the day. Here: workers starting this AM poignantly, w/national anthem. #Sovereignty @usembassyhn @StateDept @BLHarbert What are these workers protesting? The list of abuses by contractor @BLHarbert is long. One of the complaints is dangerous working conditions. Apparently @StateDept thinks saving money on building its new fortress is worth quite a few unremunerated Honduran fingers.

Honduran construction workers⁩ building the new ⁦@usembassyhn⁩ are outside the current embassy right now asking ⁦@USAmbHonduras⁩ Laura Dogu to come out and address their grievances re:labor abuses by ⁦@StateDept⁩ ⁦contractor ⁦@BLHarbert⁩. There’s some Honduran media there- this is a reporter with @HCHTelevDigital. I’ll link to articles as they come out.

One aspect of the dissolution of the USSR that I hadn't previously considered, was the tremendous new source of profit in @StateDept embassy construction. In this 2014 puff piece, @BLHarbert CEO Billy Harbert explains:
bizjournals.com/birmingham/pri… "In 1992, the Berlin Wall came down & @StateDept had to build 12 new embassies in the new Commonwealth of Independent States. We were awarded 4 of them in Transcaucasia & we spent the next 4 years building new facilities in countries which were formerly part of the Soviet Union."

Construction workers at the site of the new @usembassyhn in Tegucigalpa are out early this morning for a second day of work stoppage protesting labor abuses by @StateDept contractor @BLHarbert. I’ll post here as I get updates.
#Honduras #Solidarity @usembassyhn @StateDept @BLHarbert Direct action (+lots of solidarity) on the way to getting the goods this AM for workers building the oversized fortress that will be the new @usembassyhn in Honduras. Workers showed up @ 5am; soon after a (US) manager from @BLHarbert came out to meet them & hear their demands...

#Solidarity

https://twitter.com/HondurasNow/status/1544691068603621377

Awkard situation for @USAmbHonduras & @usembassyhn: atrocious labor conditions for the Honduran workers building the new US embassy
hch.tv/2022/07/06/pro…

Such a marked difference between the total lack of precautions in the US & Dominican airports compared with the seriousness of pandemic protocols in Venezuela. This video shows Dr. @MFlowers8 in one of the early screening lines. Airline and airport personnel wore disposable plastic biosecurity coveralls over their clothes- no one here is messing around.