HONDURAN TEACHERS DEMANDING PAYMENT OF BACK WAGES

C O N F I D E N T I A L TEGUCIGALPA 001054 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/20/2018 TAGS: ELAB PGOV KDEM SOCI HO SUBJECT: HONDURAN TEACHERS DEMANDING PAYMENT OF BACK WAGES THREATEN TO BLOCK POLLING STATIONS ON ELECTION DAY Classified By: Ambassador Hugo Llorens, reasons 1.4 (B & D) ¶1. (C) Teachers unions are threatening to close polling stations, mostly located in schools, for the November 30 primary elections due to an ongoing pay dispute with the government. While President Manuel "Mel" Zelaya gave into demands of the teachers unions on October 13, promising to pay over 300 million lempiras (USD 16 million) in back wages owed since February to a group of questionable teachers, the government has not yet made good on his promise. Representatives of the six main teachers' unions met November 19 in Tegucigalpa and agreed to take a proposal back to their membership in which the teachers would take over, on November 25, schools were voting booths are installed in order to impede voting in the November 30 primary elections. The teachers' threats are doubly damaging, because the Supreme Electoral Tribunal (TSE) was actually counting on them to assist with the electoral process. In October, the teachers signed an agreement with the TSE to serve as impartial observers and assist with the early transmittal of results from the polling stations. The teachers also threatened to withhold report cards and not file their appropriate administrative paperwork, which would keep students from graduating or moving onto the next grade level. The Public Ministry has publicly stated that anyone who impedes the electoral process can be arrested and charged. The TSE has demanded that the GOH take steps to resolve this conflict before November 25. ¶2. (C) The Minister of Security told an Embassy officer he doubted the teacher's strike would affect the election, and he was not preparing any special security measures to handle it. President Zelaya also told the Ambassador on November 21 that he expected the issue to be resolved next week and did not see the teachers as able to disrupt the elections. ¶3. (C) Comment: We do not believe that Zelaya is behind this latest move to stop the elections, but he certainly is in a position to take advantage of the chaos. We doubt Zelaya would be willing to instruct the police or the Armed Forces, which monitor and provide security for the elections, to arrest or take any other action against the teachers, especially since they have had a mutually supportive relationship in the past. Thankfully the teachers have proposed taking over the schools a few days before the elections are scheduled, so as to give the GOH time to negotiate. As the teachers are widely disdained, we do not foresee the public supporting them in their efforts, but there is always the possibility of scattered violence in various locales. End Comment. LLORENS