Public Employee Press

Solidarity is strong at Latin American labor strategy conference

The Labor Council for Latin American Advancement held its five-day annual education conference in August in San Juan, Puerto Rico. The summit meeting brought together 1,000 labor leaders and community activists from throughout the mainland and Puerto Rico. Strategy sessions and workshops focused on issues such as organizing Hispanic immigrant workers, building political power, protecting Social Security and the role of youth in the labor movement.

The overall theme, union solidarity, was highlighted by the historic campaign organized by a coalition of AFSCME, SEIU, UFCW and the UAW that brought 200,000 Puerto Rican workers into the labor movement. “That example kept popping up throughout the conference,” said Santos Crespo, executive vice president of Local 372, who worked in that campaign. “And the message was that when unions come together we can be successful.”

DC 37 and Local 372 President Veronica Montgomery-Costa, Local 1597 President Edna Williams, Local 1549 President Eddie Rodriguez, and Local 384 President Sandy Tucker also participated. In a demonstration of solidarity, the New York contingent lobbied the governor on behalf of Puerto Rican public workers who were fighting his plan to cut their wages.

Hispanic union members founded LCLAA in 1972. The group now has 65 chapters throughout the country and Puerto Rico and has coordinated many voter registration and organizing drives.

— Alfredo Alvarado