Philip Bowyer, General Secretary of the Geneva based Communications International has urged all affiliates to send messages of solidarity to UIET and HIETEL. He points out that "the CI InterAmerican representative, Rodolfo Benitez, has already sent messages to the Governor of Puerto Rico supporting the strikers and messages to the Puerto Rico police condemning their actions".

Sample message from the Communications International:

Dear Colleagues,

Through our sister union in the Communications International, the Communications Workers of America, we have learned of your struggle to defend jobs and quality communications services in the face of efforts to privatise the Puerto Rico Telephone Company.

Our Union, xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx which represents xxxxxxxxxx communications workers in xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx hereby expresses its solidarity with your struggle and wishes you a successful national strike.

In International Solidarity

(Signed xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx)

In a message to the CWU (UK) from the Communications Workers of America, Eduardo Diaz reports:

Telecom workers have been out on strike for 20 days now. Estimates are that 300,000 to 400,000 workers stayed away from work for day 1 of the 48hr general strike; public sector workers, which account for 200,000, did not work. The PRTC HQ saw some 8-10k folks. The Teamsters and the other port authority unions closed all road access to the SJU international airport for some 4 hours, causing a very tense moment. The miles-long traffic jam caused travelers to haul bags and walk. Also today, after forced by the courts, the police resumed wearing their numbered ID badges. Most had stopped wearing badges early on; others wore plastic/toy badges; according to the police the wearing of bullet-proof vests made it "impractical" to wear badges. Governor Rossello claimed that government services operated normally (not true), yet today it requested an injunction; Rossello also stated emphatically that there would not be a referendum over the sale of PRTC (a union demand).

The rally at PRTC was extremely spirited; it certainly felt more like a celebration of having a strike; the size of the crowd gave folks a sense of being in control of the event at hand. There is a long-held tradition of composing music to fit whatever struggle is at hand. Very popular musicians have been enlisted, causing crowds to swell even more. Organizers also introduced a "que no brinque Rossello" chant, which means that if you are governor Rossello, then you are not to jump. When played this results in thousands of people jumping up and down while the chant goes on for a few minutes at a time.

The general strike is to conclude Wednesday night and striking telecom workers are getting very anxious to return to work; problem is that no concessions have been made by the government as off yet. A coalition of eeligious leaders is working to bring the two sides to the table. But they are far apart. The government does not want to back out of the sale of PRTC; the unions are insisting that a referendum be held.

More details at http://www.labournet.org.uk/ and

http://www.btinternet.com/~donald.macdonald/pr3.htm - including e-mail

E-mail: donald.macdonald@btinternet.com

URL: http://www.btinternet.com/~donald.macdonald

Puerto Rico Telecomm Strike Picks Up Steam 11 July 1998
Communications International and CWU (UK) Declare Solidarity with Puerto Rico Strikers
URGENT APPEAL FROM PUERTO RICAN WORKERS
News and Photos from the Puerto Rico Telephone Company Strike
Puerto Rico General Strike - statement by Concilio General de Trabajadores (CGT), 30 June 1998
 Unions aim to cripple Puerto Rico with strike - link to Reuters report, 30 June
Puerto Rico: General strike set for July 7
Call for national strike in Puerto Rico against privatization of phone company 28 June 1998 (a LabourNet link)
Report on Puerto Rico Telephone Company workers' strike by Jose B. Davila-Acaron, 25 June 1998 (a LabourNet link)
Strike against Puerto Rico Telephone Privatisation 18 June 1998 (a LabourNet link)
Stop violence against striking workers! 18 June 1998 (a LabourNet link)
PUERTO RICO: Protest Greets Phone Company’s Privatisation 29 May 1998
Puerto Ricans Stop Work to March Against Telephone Company Privatisation by Jose B Davilas (a LabourNet link)
The Critchley Solidarity Page
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