Catherwood LibraryILR School

Labor unions continue to lead hurricane relief efforts in Puerto Rico, filling gaps left by federal aid initiatives. Unions across different industries have teamed up to help victims in the aftermath of hurricanes Irma and Maria. Teachers, communications workers, and many others are working to clean up debris and deliver meals to people in remote communities who have largely been neglected. Vice President of New York City Teamsters Local 210 Pedro Cardi, who is originally from the island, traveled to Puerto Rico with a group of 20 volunteers to deliver water and supplies, but t the government offered no advice as to where the supplies were most desperately needed. Hedge Funds and venture capitalists have tried to further exploit the people of Puerto Rico, seeking to capitalize on the devastation by offering exploitative loans for relief efforts. Before the hurricane, the deeply indebted Department of Education tried to shut down 300 schools on the island, but parents and teachers protested in the streets and managed to prevent 140 school closures. Puerto Rico’s labor activists are fighting tooth and nail to resist the privatization of key service sectors including schools, energy, and more.