On October 15, public sector workers in Puerto Rico shut down much of the island. They are resisting right-wing Governor Luis Fortuno’s announcement of 17,000 layoffs of government workers. This is part of the overall “Law 7” agenda passed through the Puerto Rican halls of power in March. Big business plans an avalanche of attacks on public services, decent wages, and union rights.

In a day of struggle and solidarity, businesses and government institutions were shut down. Truckers blocked the roads to stop commerce. Popular support for the strike was shown in demonstrations by young people at major universities. The potential power of working people was on display for the world to see. This is a shining example of how to resist layoffs.

The one-day strike was initially organized by Puerto Rico’s independent unions, eventually getting the backing of the local AFL-CIO and Change to Win affiliates only through pressure from below. By putting forward a positive proposal for struggle and reaching out to workers in unions who had abandoned previous fights, the workers’ leaders in independent unions were able to gain mass support.

Things are coming to a breaking point on an island with a budget shortfall of over $3 billion. Some union leaders have threatened an indefinite general strike, which would bring the island to a screeching halt if layoffs are not reversed. The struggle shows the potential power working people have to shut down the system and build a new one.