Back to Work

Jenaro Riestra. the civil governor of the Spanish port of Bilbao, was summoned to Madrid last week, there got orders to settle the strike that had cut back production at the Euskalduna works, one of his city's biggest steel plants (TIME, Dec.14). Though newspapers printed no word of the strike and mail from Bilbao was interrupted, the news of Bilbao's woe was spreading by word of mouth. Madrid wanted a settlement, quickly and in silence, before other Spanish workers decided to join in.

In Bilbao. Governor Riestra got a welcome assist from the unpredictable Spanish climate. Heavy rains broke the months-old drought; hydroelectric stations started humming. Workers recently laid off went back to their jobs--but not at Euskalduna. The steel plant's blustering, belligerent manager, Elisardo Bilbao, an employer misplaced from the 19th century, posted a notice in the Plaza de la Misericordia. It said: all those who struck are fired.

Governor Riestra called in Don Elisardo: "Listen here, that notice has got to come down. Your men are ready to give up. It is our duty to encourage them."

Elisardo: "I can't take back that bunch of rioters."

Governor: "You had better. Madrid orders it. If you don't, I'll withdraw the police protecting your plant. That might prove unpleasant."

Next morning the notice had gone, and another was in its place: "Workers needed immediately." Another sign promised that the plant would henceforth operate full scale and that workers would be paid for overtime and piecework. Haughty Don Elisardo took back the 1,400 hungry, silent men in black berets who had dared to strike against him. But he had a triumph anyway: he called them all "new employees." Every striker was penalized by losing his seniority--a man with 40 years' service was hired on the same basis as any young lad just out of school.

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