El Salvador Labor

El Salvador Finance Ministry employees and thousands of sympathizers ignored government threats of imprisonment and went on strike. Workers at the ministry declared an indefinite work stoppage and demanded a monthly wage increase of $25, in addition to improved benefits. A strike leader said that more than half the ministry's 5,200 workers are honoring the strike and that nearly 7,000 other state employees stayed off their jobs for a day in support.

Andres Candido exists only in the city's peripheral vision--one of many men clustered here and there on street corners, shifting from foot to foot, scanning approaching traffic, holding onto dim hopes for a day's labor. The city speeds by, car by car, vaguely disturbed, sometimes irritated, sometimes dismayed. Soon, the clusters of men are out of sight. Candido's sturdiness belies the 50 years that have left him a paunch at the waist and graying temples.

Salvadoran police fired tear gas into a crowd of about 5,000 demonstrating students and workers, injuring at least one person in the worst violence to erupt during a protest march in the capital of San Salvador this year.

El Salvador Finance Ministry employees and thousands of sympathizers ignored government threats of imprisonment and went on strike. Workers at the ministry declared an indefinite work stoppage and demanded a monthly wage increase of $25, in addition to improved benefits. A strike leader said that more than half the ministry's 5,200 workers are honoring the strike and that nearly 7,000 other state employees stayed off their jobs for a day in support.

Salvadoran riot police shot at striking government social welfare workers trying to force their way into a San Salvador building. At least 22 people were injured, including officers and journalists, witnesses said. The violence reportedly began when policemen cornered one of the strikers and started beating and kicking him. A group of fellow workers went to help him. "Then suddenly, shots were heard and we all hit the ground," said one witness, a journalist who refused to be identified by name.

In the San Mateo district of San Salvador, where most of the houses have two-car garages, nearly 50 impoverished families have put up shanties on a vacant lot to replace homes they lost last year in an earthquake. Across town, students from the National University have been holding classes outside the offices of President Jose Napoleon Duarte to demand an increase in the university budget and to protest a recent death-squad threat against 14 campus leaders.

A bomb destroyed a leftist union hall in the capital Tuesday, killing 10 people and wounding at least 29, including two Americans. The devastating explosion rocked the headquarters of the National Federation of Salvadoran Workers, the second largest union in El Salvador, at 12:30 p.m. Journalists who reached the scene in downtown San Salvador counted six mangled bodies in the rubble of the building. A Rosales Hospital spokesman said a union leader and a girl died while undergoing surgery.

Emilio Gonzalez arrived on an overnight flight from Los Angeles with tired eyes, a stubble beard and a sigh of resignation. As the 45-year-old factory worker stepped out of the terminal building at El Salvador's Comalapa International Airport, young boys swarmed to his side, hawking lottery tickets and begging for spare change.

Most of El Salvador was without power because of widespread rebel sabotage and a strike by 3,500 electrical repair and maintenance workers who are demanding a $60-a-month pay increase, officials said. Five technicians trying to repair damaged power stations have been killed by mines planted by leftist rebels, utility officials said. Also, residents of San Salvador said parts of the capital were without water because electric pumps were not working. Gen.

Andres Candido exists only in the city's peripheral vision--one of many men clustered here and there on street corners, shifting from foot to foot, scanning approaching traffic, holding onto dim hopes for a day's labor. The city speeds by, car by car, vaguely disturbed, sometimes irritated, sometimes dismayed. Soon, the clusters of men are out of sight. Candido's sturdiness belies the 50 years that have left him a paunch at the waist and graying temples.

A bomb destroyed a leftist union hall in the capital Tuesday, killing 10 people and wounding at least 29, including two Americans. The devastating explosion rocked the headquarters of the National Federation of Salvadoran Workers, the second largest union in El Salvador, at 12:30 p.m. Journalists who reached the scene in downtown San Salvador counted six mangled bodies in the rubble of the building. A Rosales Hospital spokesman said a union leader and a girl died while undergoing surgery.

Salvadoran police fired tear gas into a crowd of about 5,000 demonstrating students and workers, injuring at least one person in the worst violence to erupt during a protest march in the capital of San Salvador this year.

Most of El Salvador was without power because of widespread rebel sabotage and a strike by 3,500 electrical repair and maintenance workers who are demanding a $60-a-month pay increase, officials said. Five technicians trying to repair damaged power stations have been killed by mines planted by leftist rebels, utility officials said. Also, residents of San Salvador said parts of the capital were without water because electric pumps were not working. Gen.

Salvadoran riot police shot at striking government social welfare workers trying to force their way into a San Salvador building. At least 22 people were injured, including officers and journalists, witnesses said. The violence reportedly began when policemen cornered one of the strikers and started beating and kicking him. A group of fellow workers went to help him. "Then suddenly, shots were heard and we all hit the ground," said one witness, a journalist who refused to be identified by name.

In the San Mateo district of San Salvador, where most of the houses have two-car garages, nearly 50 impoverished families have put up shanties on a vacant lot to replace homes they lost last year in an earthquake. Across town, students from the National University have been holding classes outside the offices of President Jose Napoleon Duarte to demand an increase in the university budget and to protest a recent death-squad threat against 14 campus leaders.

Emilio Gonzalez arrived on an overnight flight from Los Angeles with tired eyes, a stubble beard and a sigh of resignation. As the 45-year-old factory worker stepped out of the terminal building at El Salvador's Comalapa International Airport, young boys swarmed to his side, hawking lottery tickets and begging for spare change.

Hundreds of members of El Salvador's largest labor union rallied Friday to protest what they called U.S. intervention in their country as senior ministers from throughout Latin America met in the capital. While foreign ministers and their top deputies gathered on the fifth day of the Organization of American States' annual session, about 300 members of the center-left Salvadoran Workers Unity marched through the heavily guarded streets of San Salvador.