WORKERS ANSWER WAGE CLAMPDOWN WITH GENERAL STRIKE
Threats by the Chilean government to withhold part of a promised wage raise were met by a massive 24-hour general strike November 23. The Paris daily Le Monde reported on the day of the strike that more than 900,000 workers voted to participate out of a total working population of 1,901,000. The strike was called by the Central Unica de Trabajadores {Workers Central Union].
The Frei government responded to the strike with brutal measures. All of Chile's troops were called out according to Le Monde, including the navy and air force as well as the army. Five workers were left dead and sixty-six injured.
Students barricaded streets in front of the teachers institute in Santiago during the strike. They were attacked by police using tear gas.
Cops and troops used tear gas and water hoses to smash barricades in streets near congressional buildings in Santiago. A boy hit by police rifle fire was so badly wounded that surgeons had to amputate his leg.
Schools, post and telegraph offices, government offices and private industry were closed.
The strike also shut down the huge Anaconda-owned Chugticamata mine in the north of Chile and the El Teniente copper mine near Santiago, which is jointly owned by a subsidiary of the Kennecott Copper Company and the Chilean government.
A Reuters dispatch from Santiago November 24 reported that the government ordered the arrest of the leaders of all labor unions that took part in the nationwide strike.