President Leonel Fernández described the nationwide strike that affected the DR yesterday as "thoughtless, crazy and absurd." A so-called collective that primarily represents transport unions, was requesting a 100% increase in salaries and reduction in fuel and food prices. President Fernández said that the only thing that is achieved by a strike is to create a negative image for the country. Shortly after he made his comments at the inaugural of the nation’s new School of Diplomacy, the collective that had called the 48-hour strike, called it off. The 12-hour strike was uneventful, and while it did not have popular support, it gave a Saturday morning appearance to the bustling city of Santo Domingo. Several shops and businesses that depend on incoming clients closed down as they expected no business. Many who didn’t have to go to work, didn’t and stayed home to play domino and basketball. Many who live off street sales, found themselves on forced vacation, or seeking alternate business locations. Most businesses, government offices, banks, free zone industries and tourism resorts and hotels operated as usual. Tours operated as usual. A spokesman for the Herrera industrial zone, the largest in the city of Santo Domingo, said that almost 100% of workers attended. A spokesman for Haina, in a far out western suburb of the city, said that only 50% showed, alleging transport problems. Stores that felt they weren’t going to sell anything, remained closed. The city shopping area, Av. Duarte, remained closed, but the middle class centers of Plaza Central, Naco and Multicentro and supermarkets and hardware stores throughout the city remained open. The Listín Diario said that only nine provinces of 30, adhered to the strike. These were the southwestern provinces of San Cristóbal, Peravia, Azua, Barahona, San Juan de la Maguana, Bahoruco, Independencia, Elías Piña. Intercity public transport was affected. The organizers of the strike called it off around 7 pm. At that time traffic was almost back to normal, and adherence to the strike was expected to dwindle down to only 20% on the second day. The organizers, a vocal collective of primarily transport union members, said the strike had been successful 100%. They said they would wait for the government to fulfill their demands before calling another for the end of June. The government has said it cannot fulfill their demands of a 100% salary increase and a reduction in the price of fuel. One of the spokesmen for the strikers, Ramón Almánzar, seeks to get enough popular support to organize a party in time for the 2000 presidential elections.
