DEFEND ASTTEL
IN EL SALVADOR
One of the most savage examples of trade unionists under attack was given by Ilene Winkler from Local 1101 of the Comunication
A worker at Nytex (the New York Telephone Company, one of the
"baby Bells") and active in the "Bell Wringer", Ilene spoke on behalt of the Labour Campaign to save ASTTEL union in El Salvador.
Duarte's regime has been systematically attacking ASTTEL, the
Union of Telecoms Workers, which has responded with a series of
• In November 1985 ASTTEL leader Humberto Centeno and his two sons were kidnapped by the Treasury police. He was later released
• In January 1986 ASTTEL General Secretary Raphael Souchez was illegally fired from his job, union offices ransacked, and
• All worksites have been militarised, and the telecoms Company
All this might be expected. The most scandalous thing of all however is that the PTTI, the international federation of public telecoms workers unions (to which the NCU is affiliated) recognises the ANTEL Company Union (with 35 members!) as its section in El