PRC-UTE
8th November 2004, 21:13
FBI and IRS Raid Puerto Rican Trade Union Headquarters!
Reprinted from Workers World newspaper
PUERTO RICO - A call for massive actions
By Arturo J. Pérez Saad
Contract negotiations have been called off after the FBI
and Internal Revenue Service invaded the offices of the
Genuine Independent Union (UIA), detained and
interrogated union workers, and confiscated all union
documents and computer files--all early in the morning
of Oct. 20 in Puerto Rico. The union members were later
released.
Hector Rene Lugo, the union president, said that "it is the
second time these agents barged into our building to
confiscate union records." He emphasized that their presence "
is part of the ongoing persecution from the government-run
Aqueducts and Sewage Authority (AAA) against the union."
(El Nuevo Dia)
Ricardo Santos, president of the Union of Workers of the
Electrical and Irrigation Industry (UTIER), said, "This is
the first time that a union is overtaken by assault in the
middle of a strike." He joined with over 30 workers in a
spontaneous protest outside the building, chanting at the
agents: "Pick up and go because there is nothing here--get
out! Get out! Get out!"
Puerto Rican Gov. Sila M. Calderón, in collusion with the
government-run AAA, continues to vilify the union and its
representatives in the daily press like El Nuevo Día. But
student groups, other unions and the Socialist Front show
their support by holding solidarity protests and pickets in
front of the AAA's headquarters.
Before the Oct. 20 search and confiscation operation, the
UIA and the AAA had appeared to be in accord that after
negotiating the medical plan the strike would end, with
the rest of the contract's clauses to be negotiated within
the next 30 days. On Oct. 22, however, after talks failed
and bugs planted by the authorities were discovered in
the union offices, the union demanded that all clauses
would have to be resolved in order for the 4,300 workers
to end the strike.
The walkout began Oct. 5. The next scheduled negotiating
session is Oct. 26.
On Oct. 22 a group of representatives from the union
of the Port Authority workers, the Association of Exempt
Non-Teaching Workers from the University of Puerto
Rico, the union of the State Insurance Fund, and the
diverse unions in the Puerto Rican Central of Workers
united with the UIA in the biggest demonstration to date.
They picketed in front of the AAA's main building in
support of the union's strike and in repudiation of the
invasions of the union's headquarters.
Although there are many proposals for other solidarity
actions, a call has been made for a massive march and
day of civil disobedience in solidarity with the UIA on Oct.
27. The march will begin in front of the Department of
Labor and march down the U.S. financial interest section
called "la Milla de Oro"--the mile of gold--and end in front
of the Banco Popular.
Reprinted from Workers World newspaper
PUERTO RICO - A call for massive actions
By Arturo J. Pérez Saad
Contract negotiations have been called off after the FBI
and Internal Revenue Service invaded the offices of the
Genuine Independent Union (UIA), detained and
interrogated union workers, and confiscated all union
documents and computer files--all early in the morning
of Oct. 20 in Puerto Rico. The union members were later
released.
Hector Rene Lugo, the union president, said that "it is the
second time these agents barged into our building to
confiscate union records." He emphasized that their presence "
is part of the ongoing persecution from the government-run
Aqueducts and Sewage Authority (AAA) against the union."
(El Nuevo Dia)
Ricardo Santos, president of the Union of Workers of the
Electrical and Irrigation Industry (UTIER), said, "This is
the first time that a union is overtaken by assault in the
middle of a strike." He joined with over 30 workers in a
spontaneous protest outside the building, chanting at the
agents: "Pick up and go because there is nothing here--get
out! Get out! Get out!"
Puerto Rican Gov. Sila M. Calderón, in collusion with the
government-run AAA, continues to vilify the union and its
representatives in the daily press like El Nuevo Día. But
student groups, other unions and the Socialist Front show
their support by holding solidarity protests and pickets in
front of the AAA's headquarters.
Before the Oct. 20 search and confiscation operation, the
UIA and the AAA had appeared to be in accord that after
negotiating the medical plan the strike would end, with
the rest of the contract's clauses to be negotiated within
the next 30 days. On Oct. 22, however, after talks failed
and bugs planted by the authorities were discovered in
the union offices, the union demanded that all clauses
would have to be resolved in order for the 4,300 workers
to end the strike.
The walkout began Oct. 5. The next scheduled negotiating
session is Oct. 26.
On Oct. 22 a group of representatives from the union
of the Port Authority workers, the Association of Exempt
Non-Teaching Workers from the University of Puerto
Rico, the union of the State Insurance Fund, and the
diverse unions in the Puerto Rican Central of Workers
united with the UIA in the biggest demonstration to date.
They picketed in front of the AAA's main building in
support of the union's strike and in repudiation of the
invasions of the union's headquarters.
Although there are many proposals for other solidarity
actions, a call has been made for a massive march and
day of civil disobedience in solidarity with the UIA on Oct.
27. The march will begin in front of the Department of
Labor and march down the U.S. financial interest section
called "la Milla de Oro"--the mile of gold--and end in front
of the Banco Popular.