PEP, June 2006: 100,000 back to work in Puerto Rico

By ALFREDO ALVARADO

Almost 100,000 public employees went back to work in Puerto Rico May 15 after a political stalemate over the island’s $740 million fiscal shortfall led to a two-week government shutdown.

On May 1, as the government ran out of funds, Gov. Anibal Acevedo Vila closed 43 agencies and locked out their employees, including 26,000 members of AFSCME, DC 37’s parent union. More than 600,000 students were shut out of public schools and business income fell.

The contentious months-long budget battle between the governor and the opposition-dominated legislature was resolved May 10, on the eve of a threatened island-wide general strike, with an agreement to form a special mediation committee and accept its proposals.

“It is unbelievable that they allowed the situation to go so far,” DC 37 Executive Director Lillian Roberts said May 5 at a news conference called by New York City unions in solidarity with Puerto Rican families, students and furloughed workers. She was accompanied by Local 372 Vice President Santos Crespo and an enthusiastic group of activists.

“There is no room for partisan politics at the expense of working families. They are playing with people’s jobs, safety and education,” said Roberts.

Meeting in Washington after the shutdown began, the AFSCME Executive Board condemned island politicians for “putting partisan politics before their responsibilities to the citizens.” Their May 5 resolution called on leaders in Puerto Rico to approve an emergency loan to restore vital services and allow workers to return to their jobs and to pass tax reforms to guarantee the loan repayment.

After a week of union-led demonstrations in San Juan, Gov. Acevedo and the legislature finally accepted a budget plan recommended by the special committee. The plan calls for a $740 million emergency loan — backed by the island’s first sales tax — to bridge the fiscal gap and pay government workers until June 30. By the end of June, some 34 collective bargaining agreements are set to expire.

“We have to be vigilant,” said AFSCME organizer José La Luz, “and make sure that come July 1, our members will have job security.”