Governor: Time to work together, not strike

“I don’t think this is the moment to be halting the government, or much less the economy of Puerto Rico. We have much more to gain working together and that is what I feel we should do,” Fortuño said during a press conference when asked about a warning by the Todo Puerto Rico por Puerto Rico Coalition that another general strike was in the works.

The Todo Puerto Rico por Puerto Rico Coalition on Monday issued an ultimatum aimed to the Fortuño administration: Reverse the layoffs of more than 16,000 government workers or face another general strike.

The governor said that 43 jurisdictions in the U.S. mainland have had to reduce their public payrolls to confront the economic and fiscal crisis and none of the moves had spurred general strikes.

The Todo Puerto Rico por Puerto Rico Coalition on Monday issued an ultimatum aimed at Gov. Luis Fortuño: Reverse the layoffs of more than 16,000 government workers or face another general strike.

“If we don’t receive a clear intention from the Fortuño administration to stop the firings, the Todo Puerto Rico Por Puerto Rico Coalition will call the Puerto Rican people to take part in a general strike,” said Lutheran Bishop Felipe Lozada, a spokesman for the coalition of labor, religious and civic organizations.

Lutheran Bishop Felipe Lozada, a spokesman for the Todo Puerto Rico Por Puerto Rico Coalition, said Monday that the coalition of labor, religious and civic organizations began Monday to hold work meetings at the municipal level to establish strike committees.

The Fortuño administration announced in late September the dismissal of more than 16,000 government workers in the second and final round of layoffs under Law 7, the package of belt-tightening and revenue measures passed earlier this year to help close a $3.2 billion budget deficit, pare $2 billion in public spending annually and protect Puerto Rico’s credit from a downgrade to junk status.

The bulk of those layoffs are scheduled to take effect on Friday, which labor leaders and other coalition members have dubbed “el viernes de la infamia,” or the “Friday of Infamy.”

Lozada urged islanders to voice opposition to the firings Friday at noon by honking their automobile horns, stopping their vehicles in the streets, wearing black clothes and ringing church bells.

“At noon on the Friday of Infamy Puerto Rico will rise up and exclaim its opposition to the layoffs,” the Lutheran bishop said.

Union leader José Rodríguez Báez, meanwhile, said another general strike is the only option left for workers to dissuade the government from the dismissals.

A previous general strike was held on Oct. 15 and was punctuated by a large rally outside the Plaza Las Américas shopping center.

Plazá Las Américas, which employs thousands of people as the Caribbean’s largest mall, was shuttered during the general strike as a security measure. Schools and universities throughout San Juan were also closed to tens of thousands of students.