CHILEANS STRIKE FOR UNION RIGHTS IBANEZ TO REORGANIZE LABOR CONFEDERATION ON NON-PARTISAN BASIS
ROMUALDO, SERAFINO
Chileans Strike for Union Rights Thanez to Reorganize Labor Confederation on Non-partisan Basis By Serafino Romualdi ¦•v j EW6PAPER and private reporta 1^1 recently received from Chile have *¦ ^...
...The Communist general strike was almost a complete fiasco...
...i "Henceforth, we thall consider ourselves no longer bound by any link of solidarity with the Communist, fraction which was formerly in the CTCH...
...We have struck two days ago all over the country in order to safeguard the rights of organized labor, and we are ready to do it again if the circumstances should require it," declared ibanez, "but I will never give the order to strike for the purpose of helping a political combination to gain its political objectives...
...Labor had won...
...They later j jgfteted a Communist attempt to cap-| tore the Government By using the weapon , 9f a general strike of indefinite duration for political purposes, i j The poor health of Chile's President Itlos compelled him, several weeks ago, h> give up his office, delegating all presidential prerogatives to Vice-President Duhalde, member ot the moderate wing of the Radical Party...
...Under the leadership of the General Secretary, of the Chilean Confederation af Labor, Bernardo Ibanez, the workers vent on a nation-wide general strike in jpftr to defend union rights threatened | fey a Government decree...
...This proposal was opposed by Bernardo Ibanez and his friends in the Executive Committee of the CTCH, meeting on February 1, as nothing less than a maneuver to exploit organized labor to gain political power for the Communists and their allies...
...lifting of martial law, restoration of juridical status to the Mapocho and Humberstone labor syndicates, and the huasidiate adoption by the Government »»lawnu» program of social measure* Bernardo Ibanez, president of the Chilean Confederation of Labor, and David Dubin-sky, president of the International Indies Garment Workers Union...
...The Communists, who assassinated three Socialists last month, have threatened- to kill Ibanez...
...designed to reduce the high cost of living —such measures having been already included in a memorandum presented by the CTCH to the Government...
...These reference* to llaya de la Torre and Betanrourt may indicate a desire, on the part of Ibanez, to form a Latin-American entente, possibly extended to include also the United States and Canada, of all' democratic labor movements opposed to reactionary forces of the right and totalitarian domination of the Communist "left...
...But he continues unperturbed , , ft4 h> post, "ow, openjjweteoming this opportunity to clean house and reorganize the Chilean labor movement on a more stable basis which—as he staled before 15,000 cheering workers at Cau-polican Theatre on February 10—"would never permit that the specific interests of the working class lie exploited for the benefit of a political party or a combination of parties, including my own party, the Socialist...
...Rsul Crellana, president of the Sindlcato lm mar of ntetal workert, and Luis Varela, well known leader of the miners' union...
...was urging the Government to suppress the strike in a blood-bath, therCTCH issued ' .-ft statement in which it declared that the I objective*, nf the general strike were...
...I maintain that within our labor unions we must lay aside all sectarian political viewpoints, all the political problems which may destroy the unity of the working class front...
...Emiliano Soto, general secretary of the Railroad workers and employees union...
...It was decided to call a national Convention of the CTCH for April 28, in Santiago...
...Although we realize that the split provoked by the Communist Party in the ranks of the Chilean Confederation of I ah,ii will temporarily cause serious damsges to the workers themselves, we, who are not responsible for this split, shall, nevertheless, face its consequences with firmness and determination...
...No labor union can function effectively as s labor union if it is perverted into an instru-merit for the furtherance of the interests of any political party...
...Orders for the arrest of Ibanez and other labor leaders Were issued, but the general strike called ¦for January 30 went on just the same :, and it Was perhaps the most complete V ""tional stoppage ever tq occur on the *, American continent...
...Chileans Strike for Union Rights Thanez to Reorganize Labor Confederation on Non-partisan Basis By Serafino Romualdi ¦•v j EW6PAPER and private reporta 1^1 recently received from Chile have *¦ ^ helped to give a fairly accurate picture of what happened in February...
...Let the Communists continue with their political strikes intended solely to serve the interests of their party...
...Without hesitation, Ibanez countered with an appeal to the 'workers to refuse to Obey th*'Commurii*t strike order but to rally instead around the new Government...
...tent of several military leaders in key - ' Government positions in place of a .''number of ministers who had resigned i in protest against police brutality...
...Their real price for unity is the total submission of the trade union movement to their orders snd totalitarian methods, so ss to be able to use this movement solely and exclusively for their political ends, such as, for instance, the political and economic ttrsngulstinn of the present Government and its replacement by one that would tuhmit to their dictation...
...It was the...
...During that same night acting-President Duhalde dismissed the military Government, lifted martial law, restored juridical status to the two labor syndicates of Humberstone and Mapocho and entrusted to a new Government, composed of four Socialists, two moderate Radicals, one Democrat and two representatives of the Armed forces, the task of putting into practice the program of economic reforms previously demanded by the CTCH...
...Meanwhile, two serious labor conflicts developed in the Northern nitrate districts of Mapocho and Humberstone...
...In that speech...
...Blanca Garcia, of the textile workers...
...first time that the Communists had declared their willingness to enter ,the Cabinet, a responsibility which they had consistently refused in the past, even When during the war they were loudly . championing natioual unity...
...Civil war had been averted...
...The general strike of January 30 had had its effect...
...ho, Bernardo Jbanez said: "The price the Communists have ostensibly set for their agreement to unity in the Chilean Confederation of l.abio is my head and the head of a worthy and loyal labor leader, Albino Harra Villa-lobos...
...Jorge Dies, general secretary of the National Federation of Maritime and Port workers...
...But the Communists, having received the order to enter the Government of Chile at any cost, insisted on their plan for a general strike in order to forCe'the Government to yield to their demands...
...They reached an understanding on a common plan of action with the majority of the Radicals ;'Maad other left-wing groups, but not with ^''the Socialists who, over one year ago, ,,''had left the so-called Democratic Alliance, proclaiming their independence of action...
...The Communist* insisted', and ovCr the head of the legally'constituted authorities of the Chilean Confederation" of Labor issued the strike call...
...However-, their true inner thoughts and the designs of their parly are quite different...
...After seven days they had to give It up...
...But it brought a series of charges and countercharges that have irreparably compromised the unity 1 of organized labor...
...Ibenetpleaded in vain for hours...
...casualties...
...Others did the same...
...The Socialists had accused this | Alliance of being unable to do anything ¦ constructive for the welfare of the working people while it was embroiled in endless political maneuvers and plots for the benefit of one of its component groups...
...On January 28, while thousands of Workers were assembled in Bulncs Square • "for a protest meeting, there was a clash *t between . demonstrators and Federal ^police, resulting in .severs...
...Chile was suddenly plunged into a r situation that took on all the aspects of imminent civil war...
...Simultaneously the Communists launched a campaign for the reorganization of the Government, de-standing Communist participation...
...Ibanez paid homage to bis friends Haya de la Torre of Peru, and Romolo Betanrourt of Venezuela, who long ago came to the conclusion that it is not possible to cooperate with the Communists, and have since acted accordingly...
...The Government, ill-advisedly, revoked the "personalidad juridica" (Juridical status) of the two unions involved, claiming that they had engaged in illegal strikes under Communist pressure to embarass the Government...
...Not a wheel turned, not a hand worked, not a. place of busi-I ness was open, (n • • * sr.wp , . a O counteract reactionary agitation Which, shrieking "Revolution...
...r^ae General Confederation of Labor, • popularly known as the CTCH, immediately proclaimed s protest genersl strike 'throughout the nation for January' 30...
...At this point the Communists launched the plan for a general political strike, and of indefinite duration, in order to force art ing-President Duhalde to transfer the Government to the left-wing Alliance, Communists included...
...Nazario Salinas,general secretary of the Welfare Workers and Kmployeen National Union...
...Nevertheless, the Chilean v Confederation of Labor, under the leader-• ship of Bernardo Ibanez, took prompt defensive action to protect its right to . at, ike...
...At the meeting of the National Executive Committe of the Confederation in Santiago tm February 22, the Communist, member* of the Committee were replaced with the following: laidoro Goday, general secretary (if the Bakery Workers' National Union...
...Dionisio • Villa, national secretary of the Woodworkers federation...
...ITbe Government replied 'with a procla-mat ion of martial law and the appoint...
...Up to the very last minute we have done the utmost to preserve the unity of our organization at its top levels ss, well at amidst its rank and file...
...This i* what they say in their newspapers, their speeches, their party resolutions...
...The one hundred percent success of the strike greatly impressed Government circles which, already alarmed by the threat of civil war (for it was common knowledge that military elements ideologically tied to the Peron movement in Argentina were preparing to stage a coup) sought to establish negotiations for the solution of the crisis...
...In typical Commdriist fashion Ibanci has been' termed1 a "traitor" and has been "demoted" from the pott of General Secretary of the CTCH...
...Ibanez was formerly, a school teacher, a Socialist member of Parliament, alternate member of the Governing itr.ii i it of the International Labor Office, and general secretary of the Socialist Party of Chile...
...In a radio speech on Feb...
Vol. 29 • March 1946 • No. 10
