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Action Alert! - FBI and IRS Raid Puerto Rican Trade Union Headquarters! TRUCKERS UNITE! UNION NOW! TEAMSTERS NOW!! ************************************* ============================================== http://www.workers.org/ww/2004/prstrike1104.php Reprinted from the Nov. 4, 2004, issue of Workers World newspaper PUERTO RICO - A call for massive actions By Arturo J. P�rez 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. Calder�n, in collusion with the government-run AAA, continues to vilify the union and its representatives in the daily press like El Nuevo D�a. 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. ========================================= Workers World, 55 W. 17 St., NY, NY 10011 Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe [EMAIL PROTECTED] Support independent news http://www.workers.org/orders/donate.php) [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] ------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor --------------------~--> Make a clean sweep of pop-up ads. Yahoo! Companion Toolbar. Now with Pop-Up Blocker. Get it for free! http://us.click.yahoo.com/L5YrjA/eSIIAA/yQLSAA/VL0olB/TM --------------------------------------------------------------------~-> Peruuta ryhm�n tilaus l�hett�m�ll� s�hk�postia osoitteeseen: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/kominform2/ <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
