Dear comrades,
With this letter we bring you very bad news!
Today, January 2nd 1998, all trade union leaders of the new CTE company were amde redundant (as the first step of the privatised telecommunications company).
Not only ASTTEL but also the other three trade union organisations have been affected by this decission, resulting in the almost complete disappearance of trade unionism in the telecommunications sector (70 trade unionists have been sacked).
The same day, company sites were guarded by police and the army, so the comrades could not do anything. We will continue the struggle, but we need urgent international solidarity. Find below a model letter of protest. We urge you to take the following actions:
We hope to get the reinstatement of all workers. We will try to get the union recognised (as the company has changed with the privatisation, the union has been effectively de-recognised). We are having a press conference today and are already preparing tough actions for next week.
Fraternal greetings from ASTTEL
Adalberto Flores,
Secretary
Model protest letter:
TO:
Dr. Arnaldo Calderon Sol
Presidente de la Republica de El Salvador
Fax: + 503 271 0950
email: presidente@casapres.gob.sv
ESDO
Dear Sir,
We have received with great surprise the news of the sacking of several trade union leaders in the telecommunications sector in El Salvador. This is even more surprising because when you go abroad to other countries, you boast about the fact that El Salvador advances to a real democracy but in practice you maintain repression against trade unions. These are the kind of attitudes that led El Salvador to a 12 year war.
We demand the immediate reinstatement of all sacked trade unionists to the new CTE company.
Yours,
copies to:
Dr Juan Jose Daboub
President of the CTE SA de CV
fax: + 503 281 0017
Lic Carlos Medina Novelino
Gerente General de ANTEL
Fax: + 503 221 2122
and to the union:
ASTTEL
fax: + 503 271 80 56
email: asttel@netcomsa.com