Puerto Rico teachers fight for schools

As Puerto Rican workers face mounting attacks, Rafael Feliciano Hernández, president of the Federación de Maestros de Puerto Rico (FMPR—Federation of Puerto Rican Teachers), spoke July 21 at Hunter College in New York.

In 2004, the FMPR voted overwhelmingly to disaffiliate from the U.S. Ameri can Federation of Teachers to achieve self-determination and meet the needs of Puerto Rican teachers, students, and families.

The struggle within the AFT was led by the El Grupo Compromiso, Demo cra cia y Militancia (CODEMI—the Commit ment, Democracy and Militancy Group).

Following are excerpts from Hernández’ remarks which were translated by Arturo J. Pérez Saad.

Our struggle has been to change the way the union is run and to democratize it. By democratizing I specifically mean to abolish the old representative-democracy model and integrate a participatory-democracy model. We represent a part of the revolt that exists in our schools.

This most radical sector has received the support of the majority including teachers, children and parents. A year before we were elected I had been imprisoned for four months for the act of civil disobedience in Vieques. I am a member of a political social ist organization. The AFT has tried to use my political beliefs against our group CO DEMI during past elections, but they lost.

A good indicator of what we are doing is that we first brought a proposal of the collective-bargaining contract to the rank-and-file workers, and it was the first time that this had ever happened, where the issues were first discussed in our schools by the rank and file, then with the bosses. This process is very complicated and arduous for the 46,000 teachers, in which 96 percent of this collective-bargaining agreement deals with non-economic issues, one of which was that the power of those in charge of the schools be shifted from the director to the teachers, parents and students.

From August 2003 to December 2003, we were able to achieve an increase in maternity leave to 12 months. ... In this period we had over 100 to 200 strikes. Strikes are illegal under the law, but when we closed a school down we view that as a strike. It is important to note that the working conditions are dire in the schools.

The FMPR is an organization which is alive. When we are speaking at the level of 1,568 public schools, it is no longer an organi zation. It functions like a movement.

First of all, the FMPR is an organization whose base, the strike of the people, is the base of the teachers. We have to recognize that the union was formed in 1966 when the public-sector workers did not have a right to unionize, since it was illegal by law until 1974.

We are a product of those struggles over many years.

The laws established in the U.S. influence us. An example is the “No Child Left Behind Act.” It is terrible for you here and for us there, especially the children. We are preparing for a boycott in the works to begin this year.

In this most radical sector we work with whomever, regardless of political orientation. Our point of strength by unity is through the struggle for the betterment of our schools.

For more information on the Federación de Maestros de Puerto Rico, go to www.fmprlucha.org.