ITUC Deeply Mourns the Death of Israel Salinas

International Trade Union Confederation

ITUC Deeply Mourns the Death of Israel Salinas, General Secretary of CUTH

Brussels, 15 February 2011 (ITUC OnLine): It is with great sadness that the ITUC has learned of the passing of brother Israel Salinas, general secretary of the Honduran trade union centre CUTH. The trade union leader died on 14 February in a plane crash when travelling from San Pedro Sula airport to Tegucigalpa on a Central American Airways flight.

The tragic accident took place at around eight in the morning when the plane crashed into the ground, presumably due to poor visibility and strong winds.

Israel Salinas, a historic, nationally and internationally recognised trade union leader, stood out for his unrelenting fight for a just and inclusive society as well as respect for human and trade union rights in the region. Early in his career he headed the CGT and founded the independent Honduran workers' federation FITH, before going on to become general secretary of the CUTH. He was also a prominent member of the Popular Resistance Front against the military coup that overthrew Manuel Zelaya in June 2008.

It is not only the Honduran trade union movement that has lost a great leader but also the United Trade Union Council of Central America and the Caribbean (CSU), which laments his tragic death.

The International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) expresses its solidarity with the CUTH and the trade union movement as a whole in Honduras in the face of this irreparable loss.

ENDS

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