UNIONS BLUNT U.S. SALVADOR POLICY

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP90-00806R000100070005-8
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: September 13, 2010
• Sequence Number: 5
• Publication Date: May 6, 1981
• Content Type: OPEN SOURCE

STAT
Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/09/13: CIA-RDP90-00806R000100070005-8
U IN I U I I Zi
GU ARDIAN(U.S.)
6 may 1981
L U IN. ~ T. * U. a'.
The AFL-CIO, whose 14 million members
ByDENNIS SCHAAL. : .
Despite intense opposition from the AFL-
CIO hierarchy, scores of U.S. labor unions
have takch steps to.express solidarity with
the workers and peasants of El Salvador.
Several international unions- such as the
International Longshoremen's and Ware-
housemen's Union (ILWU), the International
Association of Machinists (IAM), the United'
have never. voted on the El Salvador issue,
has. applied. high - pressure,: tactics ?? in: an
attempt to buck any progressive trend. in the
trade union movement on. the.-El Salvador
struggle. ; :: .., . -. -
:"Thc -AFL-CIO,"- says one trade union
activist,: "is deperately trying td stop any
? , f
-breaking in the ranks."-.'-.
Last September, federation president Lane
-Kirkland - dispatched William - Doherty r..
-Despite the assassination of two -AIFLD '
,officials in El Salvador and'-the murder. of
thousands-of workers -and peasants by the
'military and:security forces, the. AFL-CIO
-'continues to label the El Salvador regime as
"moderate" and "democratic.' It sees. the
Duarte?government?as.';caught.in the cross
-tiire..between the. terroristic. right. and Ieft:":?
-After' the.. assassination ..of 'the ?AIFLD
officials, however; ?-the. AFL'-CIO.'slightly
altered its?position-on-?U.S: aid:,The action
occurred at 'its. February. executive. 'council
.meeting. - "Any. future assistance -to.' ?El
'Salvador" the AFL-CIO-noted in the Ma
edition 'of.?its--Free. Trade. Union. News;
"should be conditioned onretiprdcal actions
.to bring domestic violence tinder controlind
to institute detnocratic'reforrhs that improve.]
the Conditions' -of - the . Workers.':- The.,
-federation -did not' even consider an 'aid=
.moratorium in the intt;.im,' however... , - ..i
The rhetoric on aid does not affect the
labor. federation's - position .on the land
-reform. "The land reform program ? in - El
Auto Workers - (UAW) and -the United. executive director -of the?:Americatr Institute
Electrical workers have voiced criticisms of or ree o Development (AIFLD), to a
U.S. government policy on El Salvador. The `--pac to meeting of the Central Labor Council
real motion, however, is at the local level. o.ants; ara, ounty;, a ii ,The AIFLD
At the urging of both rank-and-filers-and w to 'actively- promotes- the repressive land
progressive union leaders, dozens of locals; re'fr~rm in ,t tie Ef~aTv doz. countr -side, and
districts and labor* Councils have adopted o erty h msel have. been linked. to the CIA
progressive resolutions on El Salvador. The' bx. former. CIX agent. Phili A ee.':. - _ :. .
organizations, touched ? by this `' activity 4 oherty, flew, to: San ose, to blunt the
include: the United - Steel' Workers,'-the labor.couriciPsiesolution'demandingthat the
UAW, the Service Employes International AFL-GIO'.'?"disessociate...itself . from.- the
Union, the American Federation-of State; ?AIFLD" .,' Some,-,-;observers,-:A interpreted
County and Municipal Employes(AFSCME),' Dohertys -remarks as?:intimidatioit, but the
- District 1199 of the Notional Union of Hospital resolution--by the AFL-CIO. affiliate passed
and H:alth Care Employes,:-the.--United anywayt.The-.iesolution recommended, that
Federation of Teachers, .the the. Amalgamated the"U,S. government suspend economic and
Clothing and . Textile'..Wdrkers `'?. Union; military : aid . to the .present.-
(ACTWU), the. Millirjery Workers Union, the government " ' ' - ;
National Association of. Broacast-.Employes; Appearing'. An; New York 'City. April.-.8-
and Technicians and more. -.. )boherty also failed to stop the formation'of-a-
Mario: Salggado -of the Committee :in Labor Committee in Support-of Democracy
Solidarity. with the People, of: El. Salvador and Human Rights in El Salvador. The labor
noted April 28 that union opposition to U.S. committee was initiated - by leaders . of.
policy, in. El- Salvador'has.?mounttd. more
sharply ; than It did. during - a.? comparable
period in the.Vietuam conflict::
-'"We. see labor support as crucial- to the
fight against intervention because of the role
labor can play, the .power- that unions have;
and. because of the?role.it has played in other
countries, Salggado: said.'.' .; : ? . .
For some of the unions, solidaiity.nsay end'
with the passage of a resolution:. But othel'-
localsand districts have-broadened support:
activity to include newspaper advertisements,
educational meetings and delegations to El
Salvador solidarity demonstrations. ? .: -
UAW -District 65 in New York City, for
instance, recently. - hosted a.. delegation. of
touring El Salvadoran trade unionists.
In addition.' numerous U.S. trade unions
hired buses for the' People's Antiwar.,
Mobilization's El Salvador support demon-
stration in Washington, ?D.C., May 3.
The ILWU has displayed the 'most
dramatic solidarity to date with the people of.
El Salvador. Last December the West Coast-'
based longshore union initiated a boycott of
?pll U.S. military equipment bound for' the -
Duarte - regime.-- Thts? refusal to, load: and
handle U.S. weapons and supplies remains in
effect today in 30 ports from California to
-Salvador," the AFL-CIO notes, "has the full
support. . of . the-, -democratic . urban. and
agrarian trade union movements, - and. is a
major step toward satisfying the legitimate
aspirations and needs of
the . Salvadora'
,
-ACTWU; AFSCME's District Council 37, peasants."
UAW, District -65,- District 1199 and the. - Varied dissent- has emerged from within
United-:Hatters -Union;. Despite. AFL-CIO - the ranks of the -labor. federation and among
lobbying, the group backed ' a statement. `- major U.S. unions IAM President William
calling for self-determination in El Salvador,,' Vbinprsinger. issued' a statement in January
an end to 'all-'"ouiside? intervention" and which-' read: "As`--tradc:::unionists---'and
support for democratic rights.: t Americans concerned with human rights'for l
The AFL-CIO's stance is no accident. As' all," we condemn all forms of U.S.. assistance;
in the Vietnam war era, the AFL-CIO and -to -the: current.::regime'.in'' El . Salvador;
the AIFLD; which is funded by the Agency Nonintervention-in the civil war is'the.best -
for International Development, has acted as policy.. - .. ?-, ; , ,. ; ,? ?- ..??.~ ?.;;,,_? :.:t,?-
a virtual arm of the' U.S. State Department.: "The fiction -is promoted that' the ruling
,.One of the main purposes of AIFLD is to - Salvadoran*:. government is' moderate -.and
,.One the' formation .-of :: anticommunist :interested in carrying ou't social: and landI
unions' in Latin. America- and elsewhere. 1,reforms,'?' 'commented Wb pisinger; .in
In?EI Salvador, in.... 1968,;the *-,AIFLD' tontrast to : the.- AFL-CIO view. The
.established the .Union Communal Salvador-i' opposition is' labelled as' , communists. and :
Cana, a "peasant?cooperative" which ardently:-linked to' - Cuba,. 'State -Department ? and
backs'the junta and has played a major role: National.'Security'Council Latin American:
in carrying- out the repressive -land reform. -affairs 'experts' seem incapabl4 of-learning
.'.The AFL-CIO' lobbies: in -the U.S.' -and , that moderation cannot exist in a society as t
abroad for the El Salvad6igoverrimenf.The. polarized as El Salvado?i.". ":'-'?r;: ;-.--?,;
military' junta } har outlawed - municipal:i
worker,. unions,-' militarized-':. ? industry,
prohibited: strikes -and; bombed -most. union,
:balls. In addition, thousands.of trade-union
activists have -been - assassinated.'or have }
"disappeared." , -a:. }
Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/09/13: CIA-RDP90-00806R000100070005-8