Protests grow in Puerto Rico amid demands for higher wages
ABC News
Protests in Puerto Rico are multiplying as government employees demand higher pay and improved pensions
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico -- Four men walked to the parking lot before dawn, then sat down blocking the entrance and linked their arms to await the arrival of hundreds of federal and state employees for the work day.
Protesting years without pay raises, the four employees of Puerto Rico’s Authority of Roads and Transportation refused to budge. A specialized police unit finally moved in to remove them, and as they were put in handcuffs, one of the men yelled: “Fair salary! Give us what you owe us!”
It’s a cry that has echoed across Puerto Rico in recent weeks as government employees and supporters take to the streets, emboldened by thousands of public school teachers who abandoned classrooms in early February to demand raises and better pensions.
Protests are multiplying, with union leaders calling another demonstration for Friday, and social unrest is posing one of the biggest challenges for Gov. Pedro Pierluisi a year into his term.
