Support the teachers of puerto rico!

[XXPANTHAXX]

STOP THE SEIU RAID!

Tuesday October 14, 5pm

SEIU Offices – 330 W. 42 St (btw 8 & 9 Aves)

FMPR Support Committee--NY calls for a protest in front of SEIU's NYC
office
buildings. We denounce the actions of SEIU's leadership in Puerto Rico,
including their betrayal of 42,000 striking teachers earlier this year
and
their subsequent raid against the teachers' elected bargaining
representative,
the Federación de Maestros de Puerto Rico (FMPR). Now they have
successfully
excluded FMPR from competing in the ongoing elections for
representation. The
teachers’ only ―choice‖ is to vote yes or no to SEIU.

We say vote NO! An ―election‖ with only one slate is a SHAM! Andy Stern
and
Dennis Rivera have turned on a sister union and its members. They see
Puerto
Rico as a gateway to their absorption of trade unions in Latin America.
SEIU’s members did not direct this decision that insults their proud
history
of fighting for justice and dignity. We condemn the anti-worker and
colonial-expansionist actions of SEIU’s leadership and reaffirm our
solidarity with FMPR and those who defend democratic trade unions!

We appeal to our brothers and sisters in SEIU – tell Stern and Rivera:
Stop
the raid!

October 10, 2008

FMPR Support Committee-NY

FMPR Support Committee - New York

to contact us:

fmpr.support.committee.ny@gmail.com

FMPR IN Puerto Rico

Tu Federación de Maestros de Puerto Rico

WHY WE ARE DENOUNCING SEIU’S INTERVENTION IN THE UNION ELECTION IN
PUERTO
RICO:

An ―election‖ to choose a union to represent the 42,000 teachers of
Puerto
Rico is taking place from October 1-16—but there is only one option on
the
ballot: SEIU’s Puerto Rican affiliate, the Sindicato Puertorriqueño de
Maestros (SPM).

The organization that has represented teachers for over 40 years, the
Federación de Maestros de Puerto Rico (FMPR), Puerto Rico’s largest
union,
has been excluded from the election. Teachers can ―choose‖ SPM or no
union.
This is a sham election which offers teachers no real choice.

THE TRUTH ABOUT SPM & SEIU:

SPM was created two years ago by the Asociación de Maestros, an
organization
which represents school principals and administrators, to serve as a
management-friendly union. The SPM/Asociación affiliated with SEIU in
December
2007.

It is well-known on the island that the Asociación serves as the voice
of the
ruling Partido Popular Democrático (PPD) in the Department of
Education—the
teachers’ employer. Thus the teachers of Puerto Rico have been offered a
―choice‖ in this election between a union handpicked by their
bosses—which serves the interests of their bosses!—or no union at all.

THE TRUTH ABOUT GOV. ANIBAL ACEVEDO VILA & DENNIS RIVERA:

Dennis Rivera, Vice President of SEIU, is a key supporter and campaign
contributor to PPD Governor Anibal Acevedo Vilá--who was instrumental in
excluding FMPR from competing in the current election. The two met
frequently
in 2007, amidst tumultuous negotiations between FMPR and the government.
According to the NY Daily News, Acevedo Vilá promised support for an
SEIU raid
against FMPR. Meanwhile, FMPR was negotiating to improve teachers’
abysmal
salaries and working conditions, address serious deficiencies in the
school
system and to thwart off privatization of education and militarization
of the
schools. SEIU’s leadership should have supported this important labor
struggle.

TIMELINE

11/07--massive 7000+ assembly of FMPR teachers vote to authorize a
strike as
key issues remain unresolved—including many issues related to quality
and
access of public education

12/07—the SPM/Asociación, affiliates with SEIU in anticipation of
raiding
FMPR as exclusive representative

1/08—PR Dept. of Labor decertifes FMPR, based on the strike vote (public
workers’ strikes are not permitted under Law 45, similar to NY’s Taylor
Law). FMPR proceeds to represent teachers as a bonafide (non-profit
worker
organization permitted under Law 134)—how it functioned until 1999—while
legally appealing ruling

2/08—teachers engage in 10 day strike with massive public support,
squarely
placing education on the island into the public discourse and defending
the
rights of public sector workers to utilize the strike weapon

2/08 to present--FMPR continues to represent teachers as a bonafide
voluntary
membership organization, utilizing all mechanisms at their disposal to
defend
teachers’ and students’ rights

Spring/Summer 2008--FMPR receives more than12,000 endorsements to
challenge any
election raid attempts by SPM (with a legal requirement of 8,000 in
order to
appear on a ballot)

6/08—SEIU holds its convention in Puerto Rico, bringing millions of
dollars
to the island’s economy, a feather in Acevedo’s (and the PPD’s) cap. A
dissident movement for democracy rocks the convention inside while
teachers
demonstrate outside. SEIU leaders call in the police to surround the
convention
center and attack demonstrators

6/08—SEIU VP Dennis Rivera declared grand marshall of the Puerto Rican
Day
Parade, marching arm in arm with Acevedo Vilá

6/08—Under pressure to explain SEIU’s position, Dennis Rivera announces
at
an 1199 Delegate Assembly that all SEIU wants is for the teachers of
Puerto
Rico to have a democratic choice: that the teachers have the right to
choose
between FMPR or SPM/SEIU

Summer/08--FMPR loses appeals and remains legally decertified—prepares
for an
election, utilizing many volunteers, as their financial base is
seriously
compromised

Summer/08—SEIU pumps massive amounts of its members’ dues money into a
concerted raid of FMPR, flooding the island with organizers

9/08—support for FMPR remains strong, in spite of SEIU’s infusion of
funds
and campaigning—it is believed that SPM/SEIU would lose in a fair
election

9/26/08—In a divided ruling, the Appellate Court rules that FMPR cannot
participate in a vote

10/1/08—FMPR launches a ―VOTE NO‖ campaign—as there is no choice for
teachers on the ballot

10/08—exit polls indicate strong support for a NO vote—which is actually
a
vote for FMPR

10/08—FMPR is denied observer status during the vote, thus there is no
assurance that the vote will be