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Puerto Rico's Public Employees Back to Work After Lockout Ends

Members of ACU Organizing Committee in Puerto Rico
Protesting a government lockout of public employees
in Puerto Rico on April 28, members
of Servidores Públicos Unidos (SPU)/AFSCME Council 95
march in the "Milla de Oro" section of the island.
Photo Credit: José Hernández
Nearly 100,000 public-sector workers, including some 19,000 members of Servidores Públicos Unidos (SPU)/AFSCME Council 95, returned to work today, ending a two-week lockout that took place as Gov. Anibal Acevedo Vila and legislators fought over how to fund government operations.

Mounting pressure — including the voices of thousands of workers and hundreds of SPU members who have flooded the capital of San Juan in recent days — led to a weekend agreement by the lawmakers to authorize an emergency loan of nearly $750 million and a new sales tax.

The inability of lawmakers to approve a new budget for the past two years forced the government to operate on a previous one. Two weeks ago, Acevedo Vila ordered the shutdown as funds ran out.

José La Luz, special projects manager for the International, said last week that an end to the standoff was critical for members of Council 95, which represents about 25,000 workers employed in the departments of education, family services, natural resources, consumer affairs, environmental resources, corrections and other agencies.About 6,000 SPU/AFSCME-represented corrections workers and critical health and safety employees remained on the job during the lockout.

"The overwhelming majority of our members are single heads of households," said La Luz. "They can no longer tolerate this situation. Without income, they're collecting Food Stamps and unemployment checks of just $133 per week."

Early in the lockout, AFSCME Pres. Gerald W. McEntee urged members of Congress to call on public officials in the commonwealth "to stop playing politics" and protect vital services. "Essential government services have ground to a halt, and 600,000 students are unable to go to school. If this dire situation is not resolved quickly, health services will be threatened along with other important public services."

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