Héctor Recinos: Pushing from Behind
Miles, Sara & Ostertag, Bob
Hector Recinos is a founderHector Recinos is a founder of the National Federation of the National Federation of Salvadoranof Salvadoran Workers (FENASTRAS) and one of the few orkers (FENASTRAS)aand...
...This is the avenue the movement must take...
...It for legal rights...
...But we can push from behind perfectly well...
...We won legal recognition during the electionselections of 1972...
...difficult for people in solidarity work to understand...
...Their task was to protect the workers organizations, and [this very process] led them to workers' organizations, and [this very process] led them to become radicalized...
...Their task was to protect the not ask for more commitment...
...We made a political decision: decision: votesvotes for legal rights...
...What are the principles that one must respect, and what are the rights we have...
...Now we must change...
...have you returnedto El Salvador at this time...
...Have other leaders also returned...
...And more will come, depending on conditions...
...We have been working for some time holding events where have been working for some time holding events where cornpaneros return to exchange ideas for a time and then companeros return to exchange ideas for a time and then leave.leave...
...First, this showsAnd we have not split...
...This new contingent of organizers has been immersed in This new contingent of organizers has been immersed in fierce struggles...
...This has led them to be less flexible in pursuing the objective of has led them to be less flexible in pursuing the objective of protecting their unions...
...They are deeply committed to the interests of the workers, and they have become radicalized...
...We began in STECEL [the electrical workers posture...
...We have not grown, but we have not lost strength either...
...This [of leaders] was born in the heat of war...
...Yesterday it was one thing, now it is another...
...They wanted to judge that were politically more backwards...
...This is the avenue the movement must a political solution...
...We have been in the front, leading, Now we must change...
...We must join to- the PDC [Christian Democratic Party...
...Whoever puts up the money solves the problems...
...I interests, common flags, and confront a common enemy...
...Second, it helps us to understand and our common interests, Second, it helps us to understand our problems...
...They wanted to judge the whole world, when they should have interpreted it...
...been the dynamic...
...We must begin a process of discussion concerning solutions, concerning peace...
...The problem of radical rhetoric [became clear] in the The problem of radical rhetoric [became clear] in the dispute over the participation of AIFLD ]American lnsti dispute over the participation of AIFLD [American Institute for Free Labor Development] and the organizations the tute for Free Labor Development] and the organizations the ChristianChristian Democrats built to win over the more backward Democrats built to win over the more backward sectors by buying leaders...
...This happened...
...But this has been the dynamic...
...We began in STECEL [the electrical workers union]union] in 1969 to constitute ourselves as a de facto union, in 1969 to constitute ourselves as a de factor union, and begin a deand begin a de facto struggle...
...TheseThese conditions continued through 1983...
...Here we see a future in which solutions, concerning peace...
...where they committed errors...
...He surviving leaders of the labor movement of the 1970s...
...The difference is that the new contingentnew contingent [of leaders] was born in the heat of war...
...a context of retreat...
...our problems...
...They buy allegiance...
...Some have always been here, others have rtumed...
...It gavegave us a vision of the kinds of alliances we could commit us a vision of the kinds of alliances we could commit to, even with the enemy itself...
...This happened...
...They demanded the same development from everyone...
...protecting their unions...
...But at the same time they did not understand that there were other workers and organizations understand that there were other workers and organizations that were politically more backwards...
...So the l970s was a struggle against ecoriomism, bureau- So the 1970s was a struggle against economism, bureaucratism, legalism, [maladies] which were overcome in cratism, legalismi, maladies] which were overcome in 1975-19761975-1976 with the emergence of a revolutionary current with the emergence of a revolutionary current within the unions...
...We found ourselves amid workers with a within the unions...
...take...
...well...
...in the context of the FMLN offensive...
...There was a time when this type of strictness had a role...
...This left the cities without organizers, and new leaders then emerged in cities without organizers, and new leaders then emerged in a context of retreat...
...Now we believe our international work, so I left...
...The difference is that the coincidence of common interests...
...First, this shows our unity of thinking our unity of thinking and our common interests...
...There was a time when this type of strictness had a role...
...In the 1 970s we were There were different contexts...
...In the 1970s we were winning terrain for a new unionism, which overcame econ- winning terrain for a new unionism, which overcame economism and bureaucratism and led to a more combative omism and bureaucratism and led to a more combative posture...
...new organizations will be created, new forms of struggle, new slogans, which will bring us together...
...and 1980s...
...With this repression everyone either fled and two months...
...There were different contexts...
...opinions, the solves the problems...
...We cannot ask for more faithfulness, more sacrifice...
...We have seen the problem of radicalization...
...us to broaden our alliances...
...There had been an enormous accumulation [of experience...
...He recently returned to El Salvador after several years in exile, recently returned to El Salvador after several years in exile, and was interviewed in late March...
...There had conditions continued through 1983...
...Here we see a future in which new' organizations will be created, new forms of struggle...
...This interchange of experience between and 1980s...
...We found ourselves amid workers with a tremendous disposition to fight...
...The problem was how to make the strength that had been accunsu- lem was how to make the strength that had been accumulated come forth...
...At times this waswas difficult for people in solidarity work to understand...
...So the struggles began once again, typi- lated come forth...
...and was interviewed in late March...
...At times this with the creation of new organizations...
...De facto struggle meant being ready for anything...
...We offered our votes to the official party, of 1972...
...We have not grown with the rhythm we had at the beginning, in 1983, grown with the rhythm we had at the beginning, in 1983, 1984 and 1985...
...Have other leaders also returned...
...But once you become stronger you can be more flexible...
...Whoever puts up the money sectors by buying leaders...
...We made a political PCN [National Conciliation Party...
...The prob- been an enormous accumulation [of experience...
...We could not ask for more commitment...
...new slogans, which will bring us together...
...and confront a common enemy...
...They are deeply committed to the interests fierce struggles...
...They buy allegiance, opinions, the voice of a union...
...This one must respect, and what are the rights we have...
...Our evaluation at that time was that we needed to strengthenstrengthen our international work, so I left...
...fraternal voice of a union...
...of organizing, ideas, slogans...
...What are the principles that to, even with the enemy itself...
...So the struggles began once again, typicallycally with the creation of new organizations...
...We must join together to face the common enemy and to defend the victories gether to face the common enemy and to defend the victories we have won, and work for peace through a negotiated we have won, and work for peace through a negotiated solution...
...We could of the workers, and they have become radicalized...
...old and new leaders is what will allow us to move forward...
...of a new form of convergence, of organizing, ideas, slogans, coincidence of common interests...
...From 1980 on, another generation of union leaders From 1980 on, another generation of union leaders emerged...
...Now we believe that conditionsthat conditions are ripe to work for a national consensus for are ripe to work for a national consensus for a political solution...
...Our evaluation at that time was that we needed to 1986...
...This left the we were actually connected [to the FMLN...
...We arrived ata dead end because of the lack 1984 and 1985...
...But this has Yesterday it was one thing, now it is another...
...We And more will come, depending on conditions...
...How would youHow would you compare the union movements of the 1970s compare the union movements of the 1970s and 1980s...
...We have been in the front, leading, saying this and thaL But we can push from behind perfectly saying this and that...
...The ARENA victory will allow us to seek common The ARENA victory will allow us to seek common interests, common flags...
...But at the same time they did not become radicalized...
...base...
...I am talking of all the democratic forces, including the base of am talking of all the democratic forces, including the base of the PDC [Christian Democratic Party...
...This interchange of experience between old and new leaders is what will allow us to move forward...
...But We cannot ask for more faithfulness, more sacrifice...
...We have seen the problem of radicalization, and are searching for the common ground which will allow' and are searching for the common ground which will allow us to broaden our alliances...
...But once you become stronger you can be more flexible...
...1 was a prisoner for four years were assassinated or jailed...
...But these unions, fraternal unions, have been weakened and split, and we [radical unions, have been weakened and split, and we [radical unions] have paid for it...
...With this repression everyone either fled the country or went to the [guerrilla] fronts, whether or not the country or went to the [guerrilla] fronts, whether or not we were actually connected [to the FMLNI...
...This history is important, it's part of the process that educated history is important, it's part of the process that educated our leaders...
...We arrived at a dead end because of the lack of a new form of convergence...
...This was very important...
...De facto struggle meant being facto struggle...
...Many of us were assassinated or jailed...
...This is demanded the same development from everyone...
...We offered our votes to the official party, thethe PCN [National Conciliation Party...
...But this lack of analysis of the situation, of the development of this lack of analysis of the situation, of the development of SalvadoranSalvadoran society...
...our leaders...
...But these unions...
...We won legal recognition during the ready for anything...
...They have split and have lost their unions] have paid for it...
...Hector Recinos is a founderHector Recinos is a founder of the National Federation of the National Federation of Salvadoranof Salvadoran Workers (FENASTRAS) and one of the few orkers (FENASTRAS)aand one of the few su?-viving leaders of the labor movement of the 1970s...
...I was a prisoner for four years and two months...
...And we have not split...
...We have not has led to errors for which we have paid a price...
...They the whole world, when they should have interpreted it...
...This is where they committed errors...
...Many of us emerged, in the context of the FMLN offensive...
...tremendous disposition to fight...
...This was very important...
...We have been combining the movement experiences of the have been combining the movement experiences of the 1970s1970s and l980s...
...We have not grown, but we have not lost strength either...
...They have split and have lost their base...
...We must begin a process of discussion concerning solution...
...I was here for [FENASTRAS] congresses in 1985 and I was here for [FENASTRAS] congresses in 1985 and 1986...
...We Some have always been here, others have returned...
...and of the development of each sector, society, and of the development of each sector, has led to errors for which we have paid a price...
...WhyWhy have you returned to El Salvador at this time...
Vol. 23 • September 1989 • No. 3
