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Panamanian affiliates of UNI and ITF, UNCOTAP and SIELAS, met on 22 July 2009 at the UNI americas premises. The aim of this first meeting was to evaluate the company’s behavior towards its workers and its restructuring measures.





The Panamanian unions explained that previously DHL workers did not consider joining a union. They felt privileged working for DHL compared to the working conditions at other companies in the country. However, this changed two years ago. Working conditions at DHL Panama started to deteriorate, work pressure increased constantly. Today, the company is more and more subcontracting activities thus saving costs and leaving workers in precarious conditions. The new right-wing government in Panama is favoring these practices of national and international companies. The cutting of payment for overtime is only one example of issues currently being at stake.



When UNI americas representative Cenise Monteiro earlier this year talked to DHL workers, she discovered how much people were afraid to speak. Afraid not only because they might not be able to fulfill the tight schedule they have been given to deliver mail or parcels. They were also afraid to suffer repercussions from the company.



In 2008, 12 workers were dismissed at DHL AERO EXPRESS in Tocumen old airport after talks about wage arrangements with local HR management. When questioned about the case by the Danish union 3F, local management denied and stated having a good relation with its workers. This was confirmed when UNI Post & Logistics Head of Department Neil Anderson and UNI americas Regional Secretary Rodolfo Benitez met DHL Panama Country Manager Sandra Miró in February 2009.



After the first disappointing Deutsche Post DHL reaction to the Global Unions intervention to the Annual General Shareholders Meeting in April 2009 further global talks took place in Bonn, Germany. Apparently, DHL is prepared to establish worldwide a decent relation with its workers and unions.



Unions in Panama are ready to test the reality of this new era of cooperation. They agreed to keep in mind previous experiences and move ahead instead. However, if they encounter any obstacle from management in organizing DHL workers, they will make it public, knowing that they can count on the solidarity of the global DHL Workers’ Network and the support of the two Global Unions, UNI and ITF.

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The global DHL Workers’ Network, which has been formed to protect the rights of DHL employees worldwide, is asking the company to live up to its principles of corporate social responsibility and sign a global agreement.



DHL is part of Deutsche Post DHL. According to Roger Crook, CEO of DHL Express International Americas, Latin America continues to be a strategic region for the growth of the company. The company launched a new website, www.dhl-mundopyme.com, as a resource for the growth of SMEs in Latin America in March 2009. Until 2010, DHL will invest 30 million US dollars in Panama to finish the extension of its warehouses with an area of 120,000 m2 in the vicinity of Colon.