LABOUR PARTY delegates and miners rose to their feet in an Salvadorean trade unionists at a Conference fringe meeting on amnesty for jailed miners. Arturo Valencia and Salvadorean Power Workers Union STECEL and the story of their last five years is an inspiration to British trade unionists fighting for the release of imprisoned miners.
In 1980 the STECEL power workers at the hydro-electric station on the river Lempa occupied their workplace to protest alLacks union rights and conditions. Their action sparked a nationwide strike which was met by brutal military repress strikers dieven strikers. Eleven leaders of STECEL were thrown into the inhuman Mariona prison.
For four years they remained, witnout charge ol trial, tortured and abused LIC Salvadorean regime Their families feared for their lives. The seventeen year old daughter of one STEEL prisoner was murdered by death squads and the wife daughter OI the STECEL General Secretary were kidnapped, raped and then murdered ancie was detace.
But the STECEL prisoners gave hope and in October 1984 rewarded with release when the Duarte rezime could no longer withstand the campaign of the United tates and Europe.
Ten of the STECEL prisoners emotional ovation for two Alfredo Represa are members of the Holland. They had leave El Salvador for fear of death squad reprisals. AILUTO Valencia Alfredo Represa have come to tell their story to British trade unionists and coordinator) and Celia Pugh.
to appeal for solidarity for unionists still resisting the Duarte SUCH great cost.
Despite military repression wave of strikes demonstraBOBS swept Salvador in the last year. Inflation has reached Salvadorean cent, almost half of WOrKers unemployed, wages have been trozen by millary decree since 1980, many workers have had wages withheld, strikes are illegal and many factories are occupica by une millary.
Working people refuse to accept these conditions any longer and are taki o the streets to demand their rights and to force the government into dialogue for peace with the organisatio the