Unions to lead demonstrations for salary & pension justice

By The Star Staff

Several union organizations announced Sunday that they will stage a pair of demonstrations on Tuesday as part of the demand for a salary increase and pensions for all island public servants.

At a press conference, the unions said the first action will be a march, beginning at 9 a.m., from Muñoz Rivera Park to El Capitolio to exert pressure against the intention of House Speaker Rafael “Tatito” Hernández Montañez to reconsider the defeated Joint Resolution 278, which would initiate the process of payment to creditors through the debt adjustment plan.

“The action seeks to demand that legislators and the governor not approve this measure,” said Mercedes Martínez Padilla, president of the Puerto Rico Federation of Teachers. “It constitutes an act of betrayal of the Puerto Rican working class. Its approval will lead to the freezing and cutting of pensions, in addition to increasing the retirement age to 63 years in the teaching profession. It will mean less money for public agencies and essential services in the country, such as access to education, health and housing, among others. That is why we will be marching to the Capitol, so that the voice of teachers and the working class can be heard in repudiation of House Joint Resolution 278, which while paying the vultures the payment of an illegitimate debt, imposes severe austerity measures on working people.”

The second action will take place at 5 p.m. in front of the offices of the Teachers’ Retirement System in Hato Rey, where the first meeting of a dialogue table created by Gov. Pedro Pierluisi Urrutia will take place.