representatives recently interviewed a trade union acWhat has been the effect in ( Chile of other oL Iot in Latin America?
The revolution in Central America, especially the revolution, has been a great stimulus Also the struggles in LOlS El Salvador, Guatemala, Argentina, and Peru. do regard ourselves just as Chileans struggling against Pinochet, but we identify Latin Americans fighting against rOdOlTL strength of the junts?
The junta is not as strong as it was during the iirst years after the 1973 coup There are divisions within Ine army. The main disagreement over Socialist Challonge 23 July 1982 economic policy. There is 'nationalist' tendency opposed to Pinochet.
They say that the country's resources should not be in the hands of a few monopolies. They also want more state intervention in the economy, for cralldC tOTeSaCumDOnE and encourage exports. Obviously their concern is because OI today's economic chaos, because they are democrats.
They do not have in mind bourgeois democratic project, but a fascist The pearance of this tendency, however, does not mean chat the junta is undergoing a serious crisis.
the economic situation? Since the coup, wages have been cut by half in real 'page 10 terms; unemployment is about 20 per Ccull. and there are 175,000 on wages of f14 a month. The health and education services have suffered Pinochet's policies have destroyed national industries and creased the national debt. All in all the economy now a shadow of what was.
What is the political parties' position?
Most seek to get rid of and replace the Pinochet junta bourgeois government.
GeMOCAUC However, there are revolutionary parties that seek to overthrow him through armed revolution. All the parties are involved U10ll work. The unions are multi-party.
What is the legal status of the unions?
The majority are (SCHllegal. Their activitles just about tolerated, but limited, through harassing them - jailing them, for example and banning public meetings. The junta recognise that if they drive the unions underground they will be more difficult to control.
At the moment they paniticaely, but they aiso politically, but also repress them. During the copper strike they usca plasuc bulets, wate] cannon and tear gas. year over sw were detained, 68 of whom claimed to have been tortured.
What is the strength of Collective bargaining restarted two years ago. Strikes are on the increase, and have been increasingly combative. First they were about wages, now more political. Trade unionists increasingly bold in their actions. They collect for strike funds on buses, they demonstrate outside newspaper oftices and TV stations and also the churches Mainly what has been achieved is a new determination to struggle. In demonstration in Santiago mieno ovneol low wages and poverty. More Lilalyu WCIC rested. From January March there were HIU1C than 300 arrests.
After the coup many of the best working class cadres went into exile, 30,000 died, 2,500 disappeared. A new generation ot activists has inherited a destroyed workers' movement. Now we are beginning to get organised again.
Could you tell us more about the unions today?
Most of the trade union leaderships seek conciliation the employers and the regime. But the best is the ČNS (National Co-ordinating body of Trade Unionists). who nave Geni ta's abuses whose lea in jail.
However, too bureaucratic.
recognise the struggle against has to be ( rank-and-file. SanLaO. Ou are rooted nove unite the si have est themseve as leadership. the Maipu which org; UIHORS In Vicuna Mackenna there al organisation called Solidarity which supports any Nunke struggle, organises union SCHOOIS. ana publishes bulletins, and so on.
IHOSI nOoo Larl struggles are waged in Santlago. Valparaiso, and Concepcion. We want to build among rank-and-file nationally but have only limited resources.
How is this movement organised?
We think that a movement organised purely on dustrial branches sufficient. Such organisation is useful for economic demands, but not for the struggle against Pinochet. To contront Tne junta, arms in hand, we need terREOR OKSATONS that unions of all inCHILE CUITURAL CENTRE PRESENTS SONSORfO TY, Ghde s dustries neighbourhood colnnutlees. students and so on.
Trade unity must be generated the rank-and-file, not bv agreement between leaders. Last year we had a negative experience OI building the trade union movemenl trom above The CNS submitted to Pinochet a document popular demands, called the National Petition. As a result Pinochet accused ANGEL FOR PEACE AND THE STRUGGLE OF THE PEOPLES OF LATINAMERKA FRIDAY JULY 23rd, 1982 - 7pmn. CAMDEN CENTRE - BIDBOROUGH STREET • LOMDOM WCI .
CNS of being communist and imprisoned its leader, But the working class They had not even discussed the National Petition.
DIUCU of the bureaucracy.
This lack of reaction emphasises how important is work amongst the rankamo mle. CATeT mistakes defeats and advances the last eight years, this is the major lesson.
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ON 21 JUNE the Ministry of Defence celebrated its 'victory over the Argenti- nian dictators' with a world arms sales
General Pinochet seized power in a bloody oaney tis to. resistance has been growing in Chile — though it won't be getting Thatcher's
Socialist Challenge 9 Socialist Challenge on this
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