News

Political Situation in Honduras Worsens

The political situation in Honduras became even more complicated last Sunday July 5, when the de facto government prevented the landing of the airplane bringing ousted President Manuel Zelaya back to Tegucigalpa. The army placed trucks to block the runway and did not authorize the landing of the plane that had departed from Washington in the morning. Thousands of supporters of the ousted president gathered round the airport frontage—protected by a security fence—and clashed with army troops, who repelled them with tear gas and rifle shots. After numerous skirmishes, a young Zelaya follower was reported dead as a result of the army’s shooting. A significant number of people suffered bullet injuries.

Oscar Arias designated as mediator: The President of Costa Rica, Óscar Arias, agreed to serve as mediator in this dispute, thereby accepting the request made by Roberto Micheletti, Interim President of Honduras. Arias, who said he was honored to have been designated for such a role, had strongly criticized the coup d’état against Zelaya’s administration and threatened to break diplomatic relations with Honduras if Zelaya was not reinstated as the constitutionally elected President. The meeting between ousted President Manuel Zelaya and the interim president would take place at the Costa Rican President’s residence.

Failed negotiations: The negotiations held in San José, Costa Rica, under the mediation of President Óscar Arias, have failed in light of the refusal of the representatives of the Honduran de facto government to allow President Manuel Zelaya to return to the country. As a solution, the mediator had proposed that a national unity government be established under the leadership of Zelaya with the collaboration of individuals close to the current de facto government until elections are held in November 2009. The dispute seems to have reached a point of no return and therefore bodes ill for peace and stability in Honduras.

Contact: rodolfo.benitez@uniglobalunion.org



OAS Called on the Honduran De Facto Government to Reinstate Zelaya

In a special meeting, the Organization of American States (OAS) called on the de facto government of Honduras led by Roberto Micheletti to reinstate Manuel Zelaya as the country’s constitutional president in 72 hours. The deadline expires on Saturday, July 4. Zelaya, who had threatened to come back to Honduras on Thursday, July 2, said he would do so once the deadline set by the OAS has expired. The decisions of the Inter-American organization include several penalties to Honduras if this requirement is not met. Basically, Honduras would be expelled from the OAS. Other international institutions such as the World Bank, the IDB and the SEC have threatened to discontinue all manner of aid to Honduras. Similarly, the Central American countries have agreed to suspend bilateral trade.

Contact: uni-americas@uniglobalunion.org



Panamanian UNI Affiliates Join the Employee Free Choice Act Campaign

As part of UNI’s global campaign, the UNI americas Human Rights and Solidarity Department organized the handing over of a UNI letter in support of the “US Employee Free Choice Act” promoted by the Obama administration. The letter was received by Laurie Younger, Labor Attaché and Political Affairs Officer, and Cecilia Carrasco, Head of Protocol of the US Embassy in Panama. The delegation was made up of trade union leaders of the following sectors: Graphical and Packaging, Postal, Social Security and Commerce. UNI Americas was represented by Regional Directors Marvin Largaespada and Cenise Monteiro.

Contact: marvin.largaespada@uniglobalunion.org



ILO reports: Domestic workers and decent work, a long way to go

The 2009 report on gender issues to the ILC states the current economic and jobs crisis will probably worsen the situation for the most vulnerable. In many countries around the world, domestic work is not considered a formal form of employment and therefore is not covered in many cases by national labour protection laws. Domestic workers very often have no choice but to run away from their employers if he/she physically or sexually abuses them, withholds their salary or does not treat them with respect. This is aggravated by the fact that many of them are migrants working without proper visas, which makes them even more vulnerable. “If caught by the authorities they could be immediately deported or face further abuse”, the ILO reports. To acces ILO's article please clicking on this news headline.

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Graphical workers in Brazil & Paraguay mobilize to support US workers

In Asuncion and Brasilia, leaders of the graphical unions of Paraguay and Brazil visited the Embassies of the United States to deliver letters indicating their support for US workers to join unions and bargain collectively. “We support the UNI campaign and want to send our message of solidarity for the workers of the United States and encourage them to fight for their right to freedom of association,” stated Leonardo del Roy, President of CONATIG and UNI Graphical Americas. “We want workers to be able to join unions without fear of reprisals, and we are fighting for those same rights in Paraguay,” stated José Cabrera, General Secretary of the SOGP.

For more information: marvin.largaespada@uniglobalunion.org



Peru: Electrical Workers’ Seminar on Organizing Campaigns and Global Agreements

On July 2 and 3, 2009, an “Organizing Campaign” seminar was held in Lima, Peru, with the aim of reinforcing and expanding workers’ knowledge about Global Agreements—an activity planned for 2009 in the UNI-LO/TCO Project 40059 for the Electricity sector being carried out by the UNI americas Southern Cone Office. In attendance were 24 brothers and sisters from the Unified Electricity Workers’ Trade Union (SUTREL), an affiliate of the Light and Power Workers’ Federation of Peru, which represents workers from multinationals ENDESA and AES. The seminar focused on the “scope and importance of Global Agreements,” provided an update on all the agreements signed by UNI with multinational companies of various sectors to date, and planned for a campaign to be carried out within the union. The seminar ended with a visit to the company Luz del Sur.

Contact: fernando.mcmaster@uniglobalunion.org



CSTEBA Protests against Illegal Working Hours Extension

In view of Banco Santander’s unilateral decision to extend working hours up to 9 p.m., the General Secretary of the Confederation of Trade Unions of Workers of Banking and Related Companies of Chile (CSTEBA), Luis Mesina, spoke to both the workers and the public in general who had gathered outside one of the branches of the bank and expressed the Confederation’s “strong opposition to this measure, which will have an impact on a considerable number of brothers and sisters,” and said that “for the workers, extending working hours to 9 p.m. means staying at the branch until 10 p.m. or 11 p.m. or even later, which will impair their quality of life, as they will have to be back at the workplace early in the morning of the following day to perform their usual duties.”

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Training on Global Agreements for Telecom Union Leaders

From July 7 to 9, leaders of telecommunications unions from Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Colombia, Brazil, Chile and Panama gathered in Panama City to take part in the “Organizing and Global Framework Agreements in Multinational Enterprises” seminar held as part of the Trade Union Cooperation Project undertaken by UNI and the Friedrich Ebert Foundation (FES). The purpose of the seminar was to train trade union leaders of the telecommunications sector of the countries concerned on organizing and global agreements. UNI Assistant General Secretary Raúl Requena participated actively together with ILO professionals and local experts in economy, who taught participants how to successfully carry out a trade union organizing campaign and take the necessary steps to create trade union networks with a view to signing global framework agreements.

Contact: cenise.monteiro@uniglobalunion.org



Organizing Campaign in ATENTO Guatemala

Workers of ATENTO in Guatemala are successfully carrying out an organizing campaign through the distribution of leaflets. They have also presented a statement drafted by the Trade Union Unity Confederation of Guatemala (CUSG) to the workers of ATENTO in Mexico in support of their fight for the defense of their rights and dignity. The full text in Spanish of the statement signed by CUSG can be found in the Related Files tab.

Contact: cenise.monteiro@uniglobalunion.org



Chilean Graphical Workers Analyze the Effects of the Economic Crisis

Twenty-six trade union leaders (6 women) of the most important multinational companies of the graphical sector in Chile (Donnelley, Morgan, Edelpa, B.O. Packaging and Quebecor, among others) took part in a seminar held on July 4 and 5, 2009 and analyzed the status of collective bargaining negotiations, ways to address the crisis, and the impact of the crisis on jobs and collective agreements. “We know the situation is difficult and by discussing it among ourselves we can compare what is happening at each site and see how we can help our colleagues and maintain unity,” said Juan Palma, President of the Quebecor Union.

Contact: marvin.largaespada@uniglobalunion.org



Unión Fenosa Top Executive Denounced by UNI Steps Down

We are pleased to report that Mrs. Erika Bauer de Gramajo, Human Resources Manager at Unión Fenosa - Gas Natural in Guatemala, is leaving the company. Trade union organizations from around the world had singled her out as the person responsible for the closure of 20 commercial offices, the destruction of trade unions, breaches to the collective agreement, intimidation and threats to trade union leaders, and redundancies throughout the country. SITRADEORSA thanks all UNI affiliates and fraternal organizations for their support and solidarity. Such solidarity reaffirms that “together we are bigger and stronger.”

Contact: fernando.mcmaster@uniglobalunion.org



New Board elected at SINTETEL Brazil

On July 24, 2009, the new Board of the Telecommunications Workers’ Union of Sao Paulo (SINTETEL- Brazil) took office. Headed by Almir Munhoz, the Board will lead the union for the next four years (2009 – 2013). It should be noted that 60% of the Board membership was renewed, with 30% of the seats filled by women. Nearly 50% of the new members are young individuals coming from call center companies and subcontractors of major telecommunications companies.

Contact: cenise.monteiro@uniglobalunion.org



DHL Pours Millions into Panama

DHL is investing roughly US$ 30 million in the Free Trade Zone of Colón in Panama. The project to expand DHL’s warehouses in this strategic hub started in 2007 and is expected to be completed by 2010. DHL intends to consolidate its Distribution Center, which processes 15% of the cargo shipments going through the Colón Free Trade Area. In an interview with La Estrella, the Regional Director of the Distribution Center, Lic. Surse Pierpoint, said that “Panama is positioning itself as a global distribution center; from the eight warehouses that DHL Express has in Colón products are relabeled and shipped to Central America, the Caribbean and South America.”

Source: La Estrella de Panamá www.laestrella.com.pa



UPS Launches Economical Shipping Solution

Mexico City. UPS has just launched an economical option for shipping small packages from Mexico to the United States. Known as UPS Standard, this ground service offers customers a new tool to manage transportation costs for less-urgent packages. UPS Mexico Manager Griselda Hernández told El Financiero that UPS Standard is the perfect complement to a UPS service portfolio that provides customers with multiple transportation options, both for express and deferred shipments.

Source: El Financiero



Leaders of CONFETECH Chile Elected

The National Confederation of Electrical Workers’ Federations and Trade Unions of Chile (CONFETECH), which brings together four large federations—EMEL, CGE, FESCHCAM and FENTRACEN (an organization that represents outsourced workers), has reported that on May 28, 2009, it changed its statutes in order to increase the number of members on the National Board from 18 to 30 national union leaders. At the same time, it authorized the entry of the Federation of Outsourced Workers of Grupo Enersis, FENTRACEN, into the Confederation—a decision that was officially announced at the Board meeting held in December 2008 and then ratified in May 2009. The entry of the Federation of Outsourced Workers of Concepción is still outstanding. A new Board was elected. Under the leadership of Aquiles Basáez of FECHCAM, the new Board will guide the work of the Confederation for the next four years.

Contact: fernando.mcmaster@uniglobalunion.org



Colombia: DHL Express and its Strategy

Three years ago, DHL Express was interested in buying a Colombian package delivery company and set eyes on Servientrega. Although eventually the deal did not come to fruition, DHL Express maintained its interest. “We expect to realize the purchase of a Colombian delivery company, a process we may resume at any time,” warned Jorge Lavignasse, Managing Director of DHL Express Colombia, who has been in Bogotá for six months and is very happy with the performance of his international operation, which accounts for almost 70% of the country’s income. “In the first semester we were 6% up from last year and we expect to end the year with positive growth and sales close to 50 million euros.” This level of growth is due, to a large extent, to the transformation that is taking place in the logistic operations of companies, which try to keep inventories and ‘just in time’ orders low.”

Contact: ivonne.jackelen@uniglobalunion.org



Wal-Mart Offering Printing Services in Canada

VANCOUVER, BC--PNI Digital Media (TSX VENTURE:PN)(OTCBB:PNDMF) ("PNI" or the "Company"), the leading innovator in digital photography and media solutions for retailers, announces that it has teamed up with Walmart Canada to offer a range of printing services and products to fit the needs of small businesses.



Part of the Walmart PhotoCentre located at www.walmartphotocentre.ca Business Printing enables small business owners and consumers to easily order marketing and business materials using designs provided by PNI Digital Media. Products include business cards, notepads, letterheads, envelopes, fliers and posters.



Walmart Business Printing also offers services such as color, black & white copy services and coil-bound printing services.

Furthermore, the PNI-powered Business Printing service offers a broad range of promotional products such as customized calendars, fridge magnets, golf balls and mugs upon which companies can print their logos and other information on.

Each product is available in a range of standard sizes, and all orders are available for home or office delivery, or pick up at any of Walmart's 312 stores across Canada. With more than 100 new design sets, the Walmart PhotoCentre can offer print and branding solutions for a broad range of markets from Health Care to Bath and Beauty to Real Estate.

For more information please visit www.pnidigitalmedia.com



‘NEWS’ Aleara’s Newsletter

We are pleased to present to you the Newsletter of UNI americas Gaming sector administered by ALEARA. You can access the July 2009 issue of the publication entitled “News” by clicking on this news headline.

Contact: infointernacionales@aleara.com.ar



Contributions

Please, send your comments, suggestions, and contributions to the editor of Americas info via e-mail: mario.sanchez@uniglobalunion.org; via Fax (507) 317-0170; and by traditional post to P.O. Box 0819-06290, El Dorado, Panamá, Republic of Panamá.