1986: Unions take to the streets on Mayday in El Salvador

In 1986, the Salvadoran labor movement re-emerged with a massive march on Mayday. The National Unity of Salvadoran Workers (UNTS), formed in February 1986, had become the nation’s strongest and broadest coalition of labor groups, emerging in the aftermath of intense repression that left 10,000 trade unionists dead.

It was an act of enormous physical and moral courage for the UNTS to march in the face of heavily armed riot police fingering the triggers on their U.S.-supplied guns. But the march went forward, denouncing economic austerity programs imposed by the Duarte regime, and international solidarity formed a vocal contingent.

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