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The event gathered 76 union leaders from Brazil, Paraguay, Argentina, Uruguay, Colombia, Peru, Trinidad and Tobago, Costa Rica and Spain which integrate the networks of Santander, HSBC, Itaú, Banco do Brazil , BBVA and Scotiabank.



The meeting started on May 6 with important debates about the need for the democratization of the media in the continent. "We have great concern with the increasingly conservative stance of the press in Latin America, which often amplifies the voice of those who spread doubt on the value of democracy," says André Rodrigues, regional director of UNI Americas Finance. "We also need to keep adopting new communication strategies with employees to bring quality information and without the bias of traditional media," he stresses.



"The demonstration we did on the main streets of the Paraguayan capital, showing the importance of unity and mobilization of bank workers for new achievements, was of great importance. Another important action was the demonstration of solidarity with the 327 safety guards dismissed by Prosegur in Paraguay, including unionists of the company, all arbitrarily dismissed at the end of a strike in the sector last July, another unbearable anti-union practice in the American continent companies, "says Carlos Cordeiro, president of Contraf-CUT (the Brazilian Confederation of Financial Sector Workers) and UNI Americas Finance.



For Mario Raia, International Relations Secretary of Contraf-CUT, "the meeting deepened the discussions around workers ‘problems in each of the international banks and defined the next steps to strengthen unity and struggles for decent jobs, better pay and working conditions, and the fight against anti-union practices. "





Unity, unity, unity



"We need to engage our hearts and minds in unity and solidarity," said Carlos Cordeiro. "And we need to tell our story. We have already built union networks. We invested on hope, courage, dialogue and mobilization. We took part in unified international protests and campaigns. We started negotiations with several banks and strengthened the role of UNI Americas Finance", said Cordeiro. "Unity, unity, unity: this is the way for union action. Any division inside a union organization favors employers," he concluded.





Source: Contraf-CUT and UNI.