Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07SANTODOMINGO2247
2007-10-03 19:58:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Santo Domingo
Cable title:
NATIONAL STRIKE ONLY PARTIALLY EFFECTIVE
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UNCLAS SANTO DOMINGO 002247
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
STATE FOR WHA/CAR C WARD AND E JAFFEE
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV ECON ELAB DR
SUBJECT: NATIONAL STRIKE ONLY PARTIALLY EFFECTIVE
REF: A. SANTO DOMINGO 2232
B. SANTO DOMINGO 2236
UNCLAS SANTO DOMINGO 002247
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
STATE FOR WHA/CAR C WARD AND E JAFFEE
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV ECON ELAB DR
SUBJECT: NATIONAL STRIKE ONLY PARTIALLY EFFECTIVE
REF: A. SANTO DOMINGO 2232
B. SANTO DOMINGO 2236
1. (U) The 24-hour national strike ended at 6:00 a.m. on
October 3. The Alternative Social Forum (FSA),a coalition
of leftist social organizations and labor groups, had
organized the work stoppage to protest social conditions and
the poor delivery of government services (Reftels).
2. (U) The strike was only partially effective, with business
and transportation activity reduced by approximately 50
percent. EMBOFFs traveling to the Embassy from the western
suburbs reported almost normal activity (one officer counted
17 buses in operation). Officers coming in from the north,
where the neighborhoods are poorer, reported reduced
activity. Surprisingly, there was some service by publicos
(shared taxis) from FENATRANO, a union that was supposedly
supporting the strike.
3. (U) Some schools were closed. Professors, students, and
employees at the Autonomous University of Santo Domingo
(traditionally a protest center) announced their support for
the strike, but the UASD was calm yesterday. Major national
union confederations said that they sympathized with the
strike's demands, but they did not ask their members to stop
work.
4. (U) Small, sporadic demonstrations accompanied the strike
in Barahona, Salcedo, Bonao, and San Francisco de Macoris.
The National Police reported six persons injured and 11
arrested throughout the country. Despite this limited
protest activity, a serious incident occurred in Bani,
Peravia Province, in which a police officer was murdered.
The police investigation is proceeding under the assumption
that the killing was related to the strike. The Embassy's
operations on October 2, functioning under a liberal leave
policy, were close to routine. Embassy staffing on October 3
is normal, i.e. without liberal leave.
COMMENT
--------------
5. (SBU) The FSA appears to have misjudged their audience.
While the large Dominican working class continues to struggle
to make ends meet -- despite the country's solid GDP growth
-- the people did not respond in strength to the FSA's call
for a national strike. The limited observance of the work
stoppage was likely due to the absence of strong
dissatisfaction with the Fernandez Administration's
performance. While the President and his PLD party have had
a mixed record in providing public services in a constrained
fiscal environment, the Dominican people credit them with
stabilizing the economy in the aftermath of the 2003 economic
crisis. A second factor reducing the strike's effectiveness
may have been "strike fatigue," since this work stoppage came
only three months after the last such event.
6. (SBU) While the strike was organized by FSA, the
opposition PRD party voiced rhetorical support for the work
stoppage. This gave the ruling PLD an open invitation to
gain political points when the strike fizzled. Francisco
Javier Garcia, President Fernandez's campaign manager, told
reporters that, "The results of the national strike are easy
to evaluate. The people responded in a civic manner,
welcoming the President's call (to remain at work),and they
taught a lesson to the PRD and their 'striker' candidate."
The PLD also offered an olive branch to the FSA, stating that
the ruling party would consider cutting the taxes on gasoline
that have driven up transportation costs for the poor
commuting from outer suburbs.
(U) This report and additional information can be found on
Embassy Santo Domingo's SIPRNET site,
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/wha/santodomingo/
GOUGHNOUR
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
STATE FOR WHA/CAR C WARD AND E JAFFEE
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV ECON ELAB DR
SUBJECT: NATIONAL STRIKE ONLY PARTIALLY EFFECTIVE
REF: A. SANTO DOMINGO 2232
B. SANTO DOMINGO 2236
1. (U) The 24-hour national strike ended at 6:00 a.m. on
October 3. The Alternative Social Forum (FSA),a coalition
of leftist social organizations and labor groups, had
organized the work stoppage to protest social conditions and
the poor delivery of government services (Reftels).
2. (U) The strike was only partially effective, with business
and transportation activity reduced by approximately 50
percent. EMBOFFs traveling to the Embassy from the western
suburbs reported almost normal activity (one officer counted
17 buses in operation). Officers coming in from the north,
where the neighborhoods are poorer, reported reduced
activity. Surprisingly, there was some service by publicos
(shared taxis) from FENATRANO, a union that was supposedly
supporting the strike.
3. (U) Some schools were closed. Professors, students, and
employees at the Autonomous University of Santo Domingo
(traditionally a protest center) announced their support for
the strike, but the UASD was calm yesterday. Major national
union confederations said that they sympathized with the
strike's demands, but they did not ask their members to stop
work.
4. (U) Small, sporadic demonstrations accompanied the strike
in Barahona, Salcedo, Bonao, and San Francisco de Macoris.
The National Police reported six persons injured and 11
arrested throughout the country. Despite this limited
protest activity, a serious incident occurred in Bani,
Peravia Province, in which a police officer was murdered.
The police investigation is proceeding under the assumption
that the killing was related to the strike. The Embassy's
operations on October 2, functioning under a liberal leave
policy, were close to routine. Embassy staffing on October 3
is normal, i.e. without liberal leave.
COMMENT
--------------
5. (SBU) The FSA appears to have misjudged their audience.
While the large Dominican working class continues to struggle
to make ends meet -- despite the country's solid GDP growth
-- the people did not respond in strength to the FSA's call
for a national strike. The limited observance of the work
stoppage was likely due to the absence of strong
dissatisfaction with the Fernandez Administration's
performance. While the President and his PLD party have had
a mixed record in providing public services in a constrained
fiscal environment, the Dominican people credit them with
stabilizing the economy in the aftermath of the 2003 economic
crisis. A second factor reducing the strike's effectiveness
may have been "strike fatigue," since this work stoppage came
only three months after the last such event.
6. (SBU) While the strike was organized by FSA, the
opposition PRD party voiced rhetorical support for the work
stoppage. This gave the ruling PLD an open invitation to
gain political points when the strike fizzled. Francisco
Javier Garcia, President Fernandez's campaign manager, told
reporters that, "The results of the national strike are easy
to evaluate. The people responded in a civic manner,
welcoming the President's call (to remain at work),and they
taught a lesson to the PRD and their 'striker' candidate."
The PLD also offered an olive branch to the FSA, stating that
the ruling party would consider cutting the taxes on gasoline
that have driven up transportation costs for the poor
commuting from outer suburbs.
(U) This report and additional information can be found on
Embassy Santo Domingo's SIPRNET site,
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/wha/santodomingo/
GOUGHNOUR