Public Service Law Causes Street Manifestations

On Wednesday in Guayaquil, syndicate movements of Public Service employees and students started to protest because of the partial veto on projects for the Public Service Law and Superior Education. Most of the organizing managers say that these kinds of demonstrations are often progressive.

Last Monday there was a meeting of with the leaders of Confederación Ecuatoriana de Organizaciones Sindicales Libres (Ceols). The purpose of the reunion was to agree on joint actions.

Eduardo Valdez, the current president of Ceols announced the mobilizations and requests of audience before the Main Assembly and the Presidency to explain why they don’t agree with the partial objections of the project for the Public Service Bill.

The syndicate rejects the intention to implement the Public Service Bill of Obligatory Resignation Purchase and the compensation payments thanks to the State Bonus, and the annulment of the right for the protection of the Work Code of those who borrow their services in state.

According to Valdez the plan to pay the workers with bonuses is outrageous and this won’t be allowed. If this Bill is applied more than 50 thousand public employees and workers will lose their jobs. This event will severely affect the Social Security since it doesn’t have the budget to pay their early retirement.

Santiago Cahuasquí, the secretary of Federación de Estudiantes Universitarios de la Universidad Central that their participation is due to the projects of the Bill the Main Assembly approved. Since several points of the University Bill worry the students because it affects the decision making progress, this is the main reason for the demonstrations.

Mesías Tatamuez, president of Confederación Ecuatoriana de Organizaciones Clasistas Unitarias de Trabajadores (Cedocut), questioned the Government´s decision to pay the compensation of the public employees with bonuses. Nelson Erazo, of Unión General de Trabajadores del Ecuador (UGTE) said that the partial veto of the Public Service will affect the stability of the workers and public employees.

The workers position remains that the Bill stays as the Main Assembly approved and that it does not include the veto of President Rafael Correa.