MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Labour disruption in Chile

Chilean Minister of Interior Jose Miguel Insulza warned this Monday that government employees who join this Wednesday's national strike sponsored by the country's Central Union of Workers, CUT, will be sanctioned.

Mr. Insulza made it clear that the government would face the protests and demonstrations "with all the powers of the law", since "there's no justification for the stoppage given the current economic and social situation of the country".

"Those who miss work will have to face the consequences", underlined the Minister of Interior adding that he expects demonstrations will not interfere with normal public activities or with citizens in government offices. The Wednesday national strike was called by CUT to protest against the current "neo-liberal" economic policies that have condemned Chilean workers to job losses, lower salaries and arbitrary working conditions.

However President Ricardo Lagos in full support of Mr. Insulza retorted that "you don't build a country by going on strike".

Mr. Insulza who described the strike as "political", insisted that "there are no excuses: those who fail to show up on Wednesday to work have been warned". "Under democracy all citizens have a right to demonstrate and express their ideas, but the government also has been empowered to rule and have laws respected".

In a closely related conflict Santiago, the country's capital, faces a three days disruption from the garbage collection and disposal system union. Workers are demanding that if services are awarded in concession, private companies "must respect salaries and working conditions".

In an anticipation of the strikers determination, Monday morning a fleet of 750 garbage trucks blocked access to the city's main sanitary disposal unit.