Friday, June 17, 2005

Laid off workers in 23rd day of hunger strike fail to move Saca

The hunger strikers are camping out downtown on the sidewalk in front of the Cathedral steps with only tarp to protect them from the elements. They have received visits from politicians, unions and other civic groups who are publicly standing in solidarity with them, as well as from reporters and the Human Rights Ombudswoman.

The strikers, members of the General Association of Public and Municipal Employees (AGEPYM), are demanding that dismissed workers be reinstated and that they receive their severance pay.

Workers were forced to choose between signing a six-month contract—which may or not be renewable—or losing their jobs. Supporters of the striking workers believe the Ministry of Governance has laid off the workers to avoid having to pay the accumulating severance. In the Salvadoran system, employers are required to have sufficient funds on reserve to pay their employees their severance. A six-month contract would not allow them to accumulate significant severance pay even if the contract continued to be renewed. Jose Lopez, one of the hunger strikers, told the Diario CoLatino last week that he would protest indefinitely until his demands were heard. “All of us have lost around 17 or 18 pounds, our health is very deteriorated, there are some who are worse, but we will continue because we have families to feed and without work, we can’t do it.”
		Hunger strikers on the sidewalk in front of the National Cathedral.

In a march towards the Ministry of Governance Wednesday morning, hunger strikers were carried in stretchers to put pressure on President Saca. For weeks, demands for a dialogue with Saca have been ignored.

“Though we have an atmosphere for dialogue in this country, nothing can be done,” Saca said. “The problem they have is a problem with their contracts, people who's contracts are up cannot be paid severance, this is strictly a legal issue,” he added, ignoring the fact that workers were obligated to sign new contracts unless they were prepared to be laid off.

AGEPYM President William Huezo criticized Saca: “He says they are a government with human sensitivity when they’re leaving many people without jobs and having to ask for their severance.”

Human Rights ombudswoman Beatrice de Carrillo told the Diario CoLatino: “The case of the workers on hunger strike is a symbol for the Human Rights Office of the deteriorating quality of labor rights in this country.”

The eight workers involved in the strike hope a plenary session in the Legislative Assembly will result in the 116 workers having their severance reinstated. In the meantime, they are considering the possibility that other compañeros will relieve them, due to their health conditions.