PROMESA BOARD: Is being sued by some of the biggest unions in America.
[ad name=”HTML-68″]
SAN JUAN — American Federation of State, County & Municipal Employees (AFSCME), AFL-CIO filed with the U.S. Bankruptcy Court an adversary complaint against the Financial Oversight and Management Board for Puerto Rico; the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico; the Puerto Rico Fiscal Agency and Financial Advisory Authority and several Puerto Rico officials.
“AFSCME brings this action to secure and protect the rights of its members, both active and retired employees of the Commonwealth, for the purpose of obtaining declaratory and injunctive relief to oppose the implementation of austerity measures on Commonwealth employees and retirees through furloughs and cuts to retirement income,” the plaintiffs allege. “The anticipated furloughs and cuts are the product of an unauthorized and illegal policy adopted by an unelected oversight board, to be imposed by such Board over the objection of the Commonwealth’s democratically-elected governor.”
In addition, the suit says that the PROMESA board was illegally convened.
“Putting aside matters of Puerto Rican sovereignty and democratic principles, these actions of the Board are illegal as they violate the terms of PROMESA and exceed the statutorily-conferred authority granted by PROMESA to the Board. AFSCME and its members are invested in the Commonwealth’s financial recovery and desire, above all else, for it to thrive. Unlike some other of the Commonwealth’s creditors, the result of these Title III proceedings will not be reflected merely by a line item adjustment to a balance sheet, but will be endured by AFSCME members daily – at home, work, and in retirement – through a multitude of daily lived experiences.”