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RESOLUTION NO.1
2
3 THE LAYOFF OF WORKERS IN THE PUBLIC SECTOR IN
4 PUERTO RICO
5
6 WHEREAS, that Puerto Rico has faced an economic recession for
the
7 last five years; and
8 WHEREAS, that the economic model of Puerto Rico suffers from
a
9 large structural imbalance, which has meant the loss of
thousands of jobs;
10 and
11 WHEREAS, that official unemployment in Puerto Rico is
17.9
12 percent, but unofficial figures from studies by economists
and specialists
in
13 the field, suggest that the unemployment figure reaches 35
percent; and
14 WHEREAS, that despite this fact, the New Progressive
Party
15 administration headed by Governor Luis G. Fortuo, has chosen
as a
16 measure to address the fiscal crisis that emerged from this
context to
17 override collective agreements covering public employees. In
addition, the
18 governor decided to layoff about 30,000 public sector
workers, including
19 200 members of our Union; and
20 WHEREAS, that these layoffs have meant that workers and
their
21 families have been forced to live in poverty because of their
inability to
22 obtain employment because of the lack of employment
opportunities; and
23 WHEREAS, that the governor has ignored the demands and
24 suggestions made by the labor movement in Puerto Rico and
other social
25 sectors. Example of claims and proposals have been the
National
Assembly
26 convened by the labor movement last June 5, 2009, whose
attendance was
27 estimated at 50,000 and approved a list of demands and
proposals to cope
28 with the crisis so as not to affect the working classes.
Similarly, on
October
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15, 2009 the labor movement called a national strike 1 for 24
hours which
2 included a concentration in which assistance was estimated at
100,000
3 persons. This adds up to hundreds of demonstrations throughout
Puerto
Rico
4 and parts of the United States relating to this matter;
and
5 WHEREAS, that the response of the administration of Gov.
Fortuo
6 to the labor movement has been to ignore them and pretend to
silence the
7 opposition under violent methods. Gov. Fortuo administration
has also
8 made use of all resources of the State to apply violence on
workers,
9 including the use of the riot squats against peaceful
protestors and peaceful
10 civil disobedience activities, in which workers labor leaders
and even
11 officers of our Union have been assaulted by the police. The
last such
12 incident was raised in the Sheraton Hotel Convention Center
of Puerto
Rico,
13 where the riot squad attacked the demonstrators with
impunity.
14 THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that this Convention repudiates
15 the actions of the governor's Fortuo and its administration,
demands that
16 Fortuo hears the proposals of the labor movement, stop the
used of
17 violence against the working people of Puerto Rico and that
without delay18 reinstate all the layoff workers.
19
20 SUBMITTED BY: Delegate Richard Lanigan
21 Local 153
22 New York, New York
23
24 COMMITTEE REFERRED TO: Resolutions
25 COMMITTEE
RECOMMENDATION:_____________________________
26 CONVENTION
ACTION:_______________________________________
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1 RESOLUTION NO.2
2
3 IN SUPPORT OF THE STRUGGLE OF THE STUDENTS OF THE
4 UNIVERSITY OF PUERTO RICO5
6
7 WHEREAS, that education is a fundamental element in the
struggle
8 for social justice and economic equity for workers and that
education is the
9 main weapon against authoritarianism and a main tool to create
a truly
10 democratic society; and
11 WHEREAS, that the people of Puerto Rico has recognized
this
12 undeniable fact and it has been demonstrated during the 107
years of the
13 University of Puerto Rico, as a public educational
institution recognized
14 worldwide for its academic excellence and accessibility to
the working
15 classes; and
16 WHEREAS, that the administration of Gov. Fortuo, by
neoliberal
17 economic policy, decided to take the university and the
education given
18 there merely as an expense and not as a crucial investment
for the future
of19 the country. Fortuo governor's vision includes implementing
measures
that
20 adversely affect the university making it inaccessible to the
working
classes
21 and their children; and
22 WHEREAS, that in defense of an affordable college education
of
23 excellence, students called on a strike, occupied and shut
down 10 of the
11
24 campus that make up the university system of the University
of Puerto
Rico.
25 The students actions are motivated by the request that the
university
26 administration listens and negotiate on the basis of the
claims of the
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27 university community; and
WHEREAS, that the response of Gov. Fortuo administration 1
against
2 the students has been similar to that provided to workers and
the labor
3 movement in Puerto Rico. Gov. Fortuo administration has
ignored the
4 demands of the students and has tried to silence by the used
of violent
5 methods even violating the most fundamental human rights.
Example of
6 which, was the prohibition that food and water by provided to
the students
7 who stayed at the facilities of the university as a repressive
measure for
their
8 actions. In that action, the labor movement responded with a
civil
9 disobedience action by provided food and water to those
students who
10 legitimately protested against government policies; and
11 WHEREAS, that the administration of Gov. Fortuo has tried
to
12 criminalize the labor movement for its solidarity with the
students. The
13 governor has said that workers and their unions have nothing
to do with
the
14 university and are foreign agents who are seeking to destroy
the
university;
15 and16 THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT, this convention
repudiate
17 the actions of the administration of Gov. Fortuo and
recognizes the
18 importance and urgency that has the public and free
university education
as
19 a fundamental element in the struggle for social justice and
economic
equity
20 for workers, and that education is the main weapon
against
authoritarianism
21 and a main tool to create a truly democratic society. And
congratulates and
22 supports students at the University of Puerto Rico on their
commitment to
23 the struggle in defense of a free public education.
24
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25
SUBMITTED BY: Delegate 1 Richard Lanigan
2 Local 153
3 New York, New York
4
5 COMMITTEE REFERRED TO: Resolutions
6 COMMITTEE
RECOMMENDATION:_____________________________
7 CONVENTION
ACTION:_______________________________________
8
