Situation in El Salvador Escalates!

FYI...we are having a planning meeting about how to respond to the escalating situation in El Salvador this Sunday, Nov 17th at 1pm at the CISPES office. (address below). Please come or send someone from your organization. El Salvador has made a call for International Solidarity! Let's show them that they are not alone in their struggle.

Bay Area C.I.S.P.E.S.
Committee in Solidarity with the People of El Salvador

3382 26th St. (between Mission and Capp), SF
(415) 648-8222 * ba-cispes [at] prodigy.net * http://www.cispes.org



CISPES EMERGENCY
ACTION ALERT!

November 11, 2002
SALVADORAN ELECTRICITY WORKERS JOIN HEALTHCARE UNIONS ON STRIKE AGAINST PRIVATIZATION
INTERNATIONAL PRESSURE AND SOLIDARITY SUPPORT NEEDED!

230 workers from the STSEL electricity generation union went out on strike today demanding an end to privatization and unjust firings. In preparation for the CAFTA free trade agreement between the US and Central America Salvadoran President Francisco Flores seeks to privatize the CEL electricity generation utility. To further the process the government has illegally fired 31 union activists, including Secretary-General Alirio Romero and other board members. In protest, on October 23, three fired workers began a hunger strike, camping out in front of a prominent government building with support from other unions and organizations in the Salvadoran social movement. The government has refused to negotiate with the starving workers, and has left the union with no choice but to go out on an indefinite strike.

Today, November 11th marks the twentieth day of the hunger strike and the first day of the STSEL National electrical strike. STSEL demands are for the government to rehire all illegally fired workers and STOP FIRING UNIONIZED WORKERS; end the privatization of electricity generation; and sign the FMLN legislative decree outlawing the privatization of health care. So far, the 230 workers have shut down three ETESAL transmission centers completely; without government negotiations, other plants will shut down in the days to come.

The STSEL strike fits in well to the social movements' continued militant mobilization against Flores' privatization attempts. Hundreds of thousands of doctors, healthcare workers, patients and their supporters marched in the third "White March" on Saturday protesting the privatization of health care in El Salvador. The doctors at the Ministry of Health public hospital network are now on an indefinite strike. Union leaders insist that the healthcare strike, and now the electricity strike will continue until the anti-privatization decree is signed into law exactly as it was originally written. The movement is unified in its demands and promises to continue with their strategy of escalating "street heat" flash protests, as well as larger mass mobilizations, designed to keep the pressure high until they see RESULTS!

The STISSS and STSEL have called on us for international solidarity against privatization and illegal firings. We are asking everyone to take action by pressuring President Flores and the El Salvador desk office at the US State Department, and by DONATING money to the strike fund. The Salvadoran Social Movement is closer then ever to stopping privatization and needs our continued solidarity. Please read below on how you can best support the striking workers of El Salvador.







TAKE ACTION NOW TO SUPPORT STRIKING WORKERS!

1. Send faxes (011.503.243.9947) or emails (fmelgar [at] presidencia.gob.sv) to Salvadoran President Francisco Flores (sample letter in Spanish below) to demand that he:
<sum> Stop the repression and illegal firings of union workers (STSEL, STISSS and SIMETRISSS), and rehire all fired union activists! Open negotiations with the STSEL union immediately!
<sum> Sign into law the legislative decree ending the privatization of health care! End the campaign to privatize healthcare and destroy the ISSS!
<sum> No police violence against strikers!
<sum> No privatization of health care, including the concession of services!
<sum> Negotiate in good faith with the STISSS and SIMETRISSS unions!
<sum> Do not open official CAFTA negotiations!
2. Call Andrea Rodriguez, the El Salvador Desk Officer at the US State Department, at (202) 647-3505 or send faxes to (202) 647-2597 (sample letter below), and ask her to convey the above demands to President Flores!

3. Donate to the Emergency Fund! Union workers need money to continue their fight! Make tax-deductible checks out to "CISPES Education Fund," with "Emergency Fund" marked in the memo line, and send to: 130 W. 29th St, 9th Fl, NYC, NY 10001. Or call in a credit card donation at (212) 465-8115, press '0'. 100% of all funds go directly to support union workers.

---Sample letter to Francisco Flores, President of El Salvador---
Lic. Francisco Flores
Casa Presidencial
San Salvador
Estimado Presidente Flores:
Me dirijo a usted con suma preocupación debido a la grave crisis social que vive El Salvador en estos momentos. Se me ha informado del despido ilegal de 31 trabajadores sindicalizados de la empresa estatal CEL, incluyendo el Secretario General del sindicato STSEL, Alirio Romero. Tres trabajadores de electricidad llevan 20 días en huelga de hambre en protesta por las injusticias laborales que sufren los trabajadores eléctricos. Usted ha optado por ignorar sus demandas. Ahora, los trabajadores organizados de electricidad se han declarado en huelga nacional. En apoyo a las acciones de los trabajadores, le demando que reinstale todos los trabajadores despedidos de la CEL, que cesen los despidos y los ataques en contra del derecho constitucional a la libre organización sindical que tiene cada trabajador. Al igual que la salud, la electricidad es una necesidad humana que no se debe privatizar.
También se me ha informado de sus observaciones al decreto legislativo 1024, la "Garantía Estatal de Salud y Seguro Social," las cuales efectivamente modifican el objetivo anti privartizador del decreto. La privatización del ISSS ha sido rotundamente rechazado por cientos de miles de Salvadoreños en tres marchas blancas. El hacerle observaciones al decreto ha sido una clara muestra de sus intenciones privatizadoras. Al permitir la agudización de la huelga del ISSS, usted pone con ello en peligro la salud y las vidas de cientos de miles de Salvadoreños. Le demando que firme el decreto tal como fue elaborado por los médicos, y que cese la concesión, contratación, licitación, o cualquier otra modalidad de privatización de servicios de salud.
Le comunico que me pondré en contacto con mi representante dentro del Congreso de los Estados Unidos para informarle de la crisis social en El Salvador y demandarle que no autorice el inicio de negociaciones formales de libre comercio (TLC) debido a los constantes violaciones a los derechos humanos y laborales.
Por todo lo anterior, le demando:
1. Cese la represión y los despidos de trabajadores sindicalizados (STSEL, STISSS y SIMETRISSS); así como la reintegración de todos los trabajadores despedidos hasta la fecha.
2. Que inicie inmediatamente negociaciones con el sindicato STSEL.
3. Que firme el decreto legislativo 1024, la "Garantía Estatal de Salud y Seguro Social," tal como fue elaborado por los médicos.
4. Cese la represión policial en contra de los trabajadores organizados.
5. Cese el proceso de privatización y de concesiones en las áreas de salud y electricidad.
6. No iniciar negociaciones formales en torno al TLC con EE.UU.
Continuaré monitoreando la situación en El Salvador y mantendré informado(a) a mi congresista del desarrollo de la crisis social, especialmente en estos momentos donde ambos gobiernos buscan iniciar negociaciones formales de libre comercio.
Atentamente,
(English translation of Flores letter; please do not send out the English version)
Lic. Francisco Flores
Casa Presidencial
San Salvador
Dear President Flores,
I am writing to express my concern about the grave social crisis in El Salvador today. I have been informed of the illegal firings of 31 unionized workers of the CEL electricity generation utility, including the secretary-general of the STSEL union, Alirio Romero. Three workers have been on hunger strike for 20 days against labor injustice, without you opening negotiations. Now, they have gone out on a national strike. I demand that you rehire all of the fired CEL workers, and end the firings and union-busting attacks against workers' constitutional right to free organization. Like health care, electricity is a human need and should not be privatized.
I have also been informed of your changes to legislative decree 1024, the "State Guarantee of Health and Social Security," that effectively strip the decree of its anti-privatization language. The privatization of the ISSS has been categorically rejected by hundreds of thousands of Salvadorans in three "White Marches." Changing the decree was a clear indication of your true intent to privatize the ISSS; while the strike grows every day, you place in danger the health and lives of hundreds of thousands of Salvadorans. I demand that you sign the decree exactly as it was written by the doctors, and end the concession, contracting, licitation, or any other form of privatization of healthcare services.
I intend to inform my Congressional representatives of the social crisis in El Salvador, as it is a strong indication that the current situation in El Salvador is in no way amenable to the signing of a free trade agreement with the United States.
I demand that you:
1. End the repression and the illegal firings of unionized workers (STSEL, STISSS and SIMETRISSS). Rehire all fired workers.
2. Immediately open negotiations with the STSEL union.
3. Sign the legislative decree 1024, the "State Guarantee of Health and Social Security," exactly as it was written by the doctors.
4. Stop the police repression against organized workers.
5. Stop the process of privatization and concessions in the areas of health and electricity.
6. Not open official CAFTA negotiations.
I will continue to closely monitor the social crisis in El Salvador, and will continue to report my findings to my Congressional representatives, particularly as the US considers entering into a free trade agreement with your government.
Sincerely,

---Sample letter to Andrea Rodriguez, El Salvador Desk Officer at the US State Department--
Andrea Rodriguez
US State Department
October 2002
Dear Andrea Rodriguez:
I am writing to express my concern about the grave social crisis in El Salvador today. I have been informed of the illegal firings of 31 unionized workers of the CEL electricity generation utility, including the Secretary-General of the STSEL union, Alirio Romero. Three workers have been on hunger strike for 20 days against labor injustice, without President Francisco Flores opening negotiations. Now, they have gone out on a national strike. I demand that you urge Flores to rehire all of the fired CEL workers, and end the firings and union-busting attacks against workers' constitutional right to free organization. Like health care, electricity is a human need and should not be privatized.
I have also been informed of Flores's changes to legislative decree 1024, the "State Guarantee of Health and Social Security," that effectively strip the decree of its anti-privatization language. The privatization of the ISSS has been categorically rejected by hundreds of thousands of Salvadorans in three "White Marches." Changing the decree was a clear indication of Flores's true intent to privatize the ISSS; while the strike grows every day, he places in danger the health and lives of hundreds of thousands of Salvadorans. I demand that you urge Flores to sign the decree exactly as it was written by the doctors, and end the concession, contracting, licitation, or any other form of privatization of healthcare services.
I demand that you urge the Salvadoran government to:
1. End the repression and the illegal firings of unionized workers (STSEL, STISSS and SIMETRISSS). Rehire all fired workers.
2. Stop the process of privatization and concessions in the areas of health and electricity.
3. Immediately open negotiations with the STSEL union.
4. Sign the legislative decree 1024, the "State Guarantee of Health and Social Security," exactly as it was written by the doctors.
5. Stop the police repression against organized workers.
In addition, please demand that the US government abstain from opening formal negotiations for a free trade agreement with Central America, because of their repeated violations of labor and human rights. I expect that you will take personal responsibility for conveying these demands and ensuring that the US government do everything within its power to ensure that they are met. I will continue to closely monitor the situation of labor violations in El Salvador, and will continue to report my findings to my Congressional representatives.
Sincerely,


--
CISPES - Committee in Solidarity with the People of El Salvador
130 W. 29th Street, 9th floor
New York, NY 10001
212-465-8115 phone
212-465-8998 fax
cispes [at] cispes.org
http://www.cispes.org