Central America Union rights really life-and-death issue In El Salvador — BY JEAN KAVANAGH SAN SALVADOR — Fifteen thousand workers laid off without compensation this year; three consecutive secretaries-general of an industrial workers’ union disappeared or killed: constant surveillance of union locals and repeated office raids, This is the reality for two of El Salvador’s largest union federations: FUSS and Festiavtsces, sister federations that formed in 1979, federation leaders tecently explained to Canadians who toured this tiny, war-torn country of five million. : Unionized workers have been constantly targeted by El Salvador’s rightist governments as subversives and fronts for the rebel Farabundo Marti National Liberation Front. But in addition to the constant physical attacks, torture and murder of union activists, 1990 has seen the greatest number of workers thrown into the streets in recent years, federation leaders said. As in the case of Canada and other parts of the world, El Salvador is experiencing a regimen of privatization that by the end of the year could result in 30,000 jobs lost with most unionized workers getting no severance pay, said the leaders, who asked not to be identified because of a recent rash of arrests of federation activists. (The federations also just learned there is a military hit list circulating with the names of 106 federation members.) “The general situation of workers in El Salvador is critical,” a Festiavtsces leader explained. “The economic crisis is very bad, and the hunger of the people and the militarization of the country are also increasing.” The heightened militarization since last November’s major FMLN offensive has seen the military frequently detain unionized workers on their way to work, as they enter the city from the increasing - number of marginalized areas around San Salvador. Union marches and meetings are under constant surveillance, and when rumours of a work stoppage circulate, paramilitary forces appear at the work site almost without fail. “We say the (Salvadoran) government and the U.S. government are responsible for the oppression of unions here because U.S. companies want to establish themselves here without having unions in the work place,” a FUSS leader said. Besides impeding organizing in new factories, the government is implementing a major privatization drive in the ministries of agriculture, public works, treasury and finance, and in state-owned banks. 20 « Pacific Tribune, December 17, 1990 “Many of these (laid-off) workers had years of service, 10, 20, 30 years, and they got no severance pay. They were just put out on the street,” said the leader from FUSS whose members are largely affected. Meanwhile, in private factories, the campaigns to keep unions out has resulted in longer work days, often 12 to 14 hours, more shift work and obligatory weekend service. When workers try to hold organizing meetings, even away from the job site, the repercussions are severe. “The labour laws in our country, even the little there is in our favour, are not respected. The right to organize does not exist as we saw recently when the director of one of our locals, Jose Emesto Sorto, was assassinated after he tried to organize some factory workers,” said the leader of the industrial sector of Festiavtsces. “Tt is also hard for us to organize new unions because when we go to the factories they are militarized.” With privatization has come a disturbing growth in the Zona Franca, free-trade zones which the union leaders call, “exploitation zones run by foreigners.” There is no possibility of organizing in this strip of mirrored, U.S.-style modern factories that are fortified like many Salvadoran military bases. Here, workers can be fired at any moment, they have no rights, and sexual abuse and harassment of women is constant. . “They have their own laws where impunity of the bosses is assured, including impunity for sexually abusing our wives and daughters,” said the FUSS leader. Shifts in the Zona Franca generally run from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m., and then again to 6 a.m. The rotations are usually 15 days and there is no shift differential. Electronics and_textile manufacturers have been the quickest to establish here and manual dexterity and good eyesight are prerequisites for most jobs. El Salvador’s high unemployment rate, officially 35 per cent with another 35 per cent underemployed, assures a high turnover rate when workers’ eyesight fails or they suffer arthritis and other inflammations in their hands. Public health care is virtually non-existent and there is no compensation from free-trade companies when workers are injured, usually permanently, on the job and then fired. “Because of this critical situation, the solidarity of our companeros in Canada and throughout the world is very valuable to us and helps our morale,” said the industrial sector leader. “We would like to tell the people of Canada, including our Salvadoran brothers and sisters who are in death squad list. your country, that the ties of friendship between you and us are very important and we hope they will be even greater.” With municipal and departmental elections scheduled for March — the first elections since the negotiation process between the government and the FMLN started earlier this year — some agricultural sectors, including the rich and powerful coffee owners, have promised meagre salary increases for campesinos who have been protesting for a living wage. Most agricultural work is temporary, dangerous because of the widespread use of pesticides, and often intimidating due to militarization of the large plantations or fincas, campesino leaders recently told a rally in the coastal village, La Libertad. Cotton pickers now earn $1.50 US a day and will get $1.80 as of Dec. 1 — the campesinos union wants $2.50, Sugar can. pickers now earn $1.70, will get an . increase to $2, but are asking for $3 a day. And in the lucrative coffee trade, the backbone of El Salvador’s economy, temporary pickers who earn $2 will get a 50-cent increase, but are demanding $3.45 US per day. “We want everyone in the country to know the misery that campesinos live and work under,” a leader told the quiet rally, where National Police and Army officers stood guard. “The fincas are militarized. Our salaries don’t cover the cost of food and there’s no response to our demands from the government or producers except more repression.” UNEARTHING THE DISAPPEARED IN EL SALVADOR ... trade union leaders on the ’ International solidarity, like the Salvadoran coffee boycott initiated by B.C.’s Trade Union Group on Central America, is effective and essential to gain workers’ rights, the leaders agreed. “We ask you with all respect that all the help you can give us is needed because we have been hit hard in our fight for justice - and peace,” said the FUSS leaders. _ “With your participation, we will continue our struggle and we are sure that with your help we will bring an end to this despotic government.” ‘Jean Kavanagh is a Vancouver reporter and a member of the Canadian Wire Service Guild. Southern Africa Action Coalition Season’s Greetings to all our friends and supporters. Let’s make 1991 a year to end apartheid. #206, 111 W. 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