The American Federation of Teachers has given up trying to hold on to what had been its 32,000-member affiliate in Puerto Rico.
The Federaction de Maestros de Puerto Rico voted in favor of disaffiliation from the 1.3-million member national union a year ago, but the AFT did not drop its claim of an administratorship over the union in the American commonwealth until this month.
In a Sept. 14 letter to Raphael Feliciano Hernandez, the president of the Puerto Rico union, AFT President Edward J. McElroy said the national union had revoked affiliate status for failure to pay dues. He also demanded the repayment of loans and back dues by last week.
Leaders of the two unions have long disagreed over the benefits of affiliation with the AFT and the correct conduct of local union business.
Mr. Feliciano said his union was willing to repay its debt, but only after an independent group verified the amounts.
