News

Demonstrations for May Day celebration

Panama City. A large quantity of greeting messages and images of May Day’s commemorative activities in the Americas, were received in the regional office of UNI Americas. We invite you to visit our site Flickr were you can see May Day’s photographic files.

Contact: marvin.largaespada@uniglobalunion.org



CEPETEL Argentina confronts IBM in protest journey

Buenos Aires. The protest journey against multinational IBM in favour of the respect to labour rights and the fulfilment of fair salary demands, labour precarity and union freedom was described as glorious by CEPETEL. We invite you to go through the union bulletin, by clicking on this article’s title to get more details of the success achieved by CEPETEL (UNI Telecom Argentina).

Source: CEPETEL informaticos@cepetel.org.ar



Secretary of Environment and Sustainable Development of the Argentine Republic greets UNI americas affiliates

Buenos Aires. UNI americas received the greetings of the Secretary of Environment and Sustainable Development of the Argentine Republic, on the occasion of the International Labour Day. We invite you to go through this issue by clicking on the title’s article. In response of this kind message, the Regional Secretary expressed: “On behalf of our organisation I thank Minister Bibiloni’s and the Secretariat of Environment and Sustainable Development’s staff”. He concluded: “On this May Day UNI Americas send its warmest greetings to all of you. We are all summoned by the same objectives and wishes to fight for a better society; a more fair and supportive one”.

Contact: uni-americas@uniglobalunion.org



President Alan Garcia advocates a higher unionisation in Peru

Lima. The President of Peru, Alan Garcia, advocated the promotion of unionisation among the workers of his country so that they would be able to defend their interests and to favour redistribution of wealth.

In the framework of the ceremony of award of the Order of Labour to fourteen people, the Head of State asserted: “my request is permanent and demanding. We must always promote unionising as an instrument for the worker’s defence. Even when used in an exaggerated way, it is better than not having unions”, informed La República.

The President highlighted that his government has developed a series of measures in favour of workers. Among these measures he mentioned the Labour Procedure Law and he asserted that 36 thousand workers unjustly dismissed during Fujimori’s government, had been reinstated to their jobs during his administration.

Source: AMERICAECONOMIA.COM



Multi Latin Falabella plans to duplicate its size with an investment of USD 2.570 million.

Santiago. The group Falabella launched a millionaire investment plan, which will enable it to practically duplicate its present size between this year and 2014. The company had a plan under execution that was to be developed between 2009 and 2012 with an investment of USD 2.024 millions. But this was extended to 2010 and was increased by USD 546 millions. The Corporate General Manager of the Company, Juan Benavides, stated that in this period, 184 stores will be opened, which will be distributed among Chile, Argentina, Peru and Colombia, Presently, the company operates 219 stores in Latin America, with their brands Falabella (Department Stores), Sodimac (home improvement store) and Tottus (Supermarket). Apart from this, seven new malls will be built between Chile and Peru.

Source: Diario El Mercurio José Troncoso Ostornol



Wage increase for Argentine Cinema and radio workers.

Buenos Aires. A press release delivered by our affiliate the Argentine Unique Union of Workers of Public Entertainment (SUTEP), informs us on the signature of a Wage Agreement subscribed with cinematographic business associations, which provides a wage increase of a 25% for the sector’s workers from April 2010. Simultaneously, another Wage Agreement was signed with the representatives of the Argentine Private and State Broadcasters granting a wage increase of a 25% to be put into force from April 1^st 2010. The signature of both agreements is a great achievement, because it establishes a balance between wages and the economic reality of the country, as well as giving a solution to the rightful worker’s demands in the defence of a fair salary.

Source: SUTEP Carolina von Oertel licvonoertel@yahoo.com.ar



UNI americas Telecom participates in CSS Symposium in Panama

Panama City. Under the motto “Contingent Risk and New Models of Prevention in a Labour World under Transformation”, the Social Security Savings Organisation of Panama (CSS) carried out an important Symposium on May 7^th, 2010 with the aim of calling the attention of unions, government and companies, on the necessity of training workers for the prevention of labour accidents. Many speakers were invited, as Cenise Monteiro, Regional Director of UNI Americas, who presented the subject:

”The challenge of Psychosocial Risk Factors in the face of New Technologies”, mainly with a focus on risks to which workers are exposed in the Customer Service Centres. In her presentation, she asserted: “Today, the telephonic advisors offer their emotion in the exercise of their duty; however, for the customers as well as for those who keep them under surveillance, the workers are only a VOICE and A PAIR OF EARS.”

Contact: cenise.monteiro@uniglobalunion.org



Violent Police repression in Costa Rica

San Jose. Hundreds of people holding a pacific demonstration in the Park La Sabana on occasion of the Presidential Inauguration, were violently repressed without cause by the public force, which even sent mounted police to act against defenceless people. The event occurred after Laura Chinchilla had taken her Oath of Office for President of the Republic. When the demonstration reached the surrounding area, a large group of policemen initiated a violent repression against the people present. Around 10 people were arrested, without the police being able to specify under which charges they had been deprived from their liberty. The Chief of Police declared to the media that the acts of repression were initiated because a small group of demonstrators attacked the police, but this, according to the versions of dozens of witnesses, never took place. They all coincided in pointing out that the police acted unexpectedly and without any motive.

Contact: ivonne.jackelen@uniglobalunion.org



UNI in the core of Brazil and into the heart of their engineering professionals

Belo Horizonte. The Union of Engineers of the Brazilian State of Minas Gerais, identified with the acronym SENGE-MG, active member of the Engineering Federation of Brazil (FISENGE), affiliated to UNI Americas, in their last issue of Bulletin 186, including March and April 2010, publishes a compete interview of the international seminar called “Challenges to Union Movement XXI Century”, which was celebrated in the city of Belo Horizonte, Brazil. This event, which was attended by a large number of members of FISENGE coming from other Brazilian states, as well as students, politicians, union leaders working at a regional and national level, Brazilian experts on the issue, counted with the presence and active participation of UNI, through their representatives: Gerd Rhode, Head of PM&S Department and José Molina, responsible of PM&S in UNI Americas.

Contact: jose.molina@uniglobalunion.org



Peruvian Workers of Telefonica’s Contracting Companies get wage increase

Lima. An important wage increase and other benefits were granted to the workers of the National Union of Telecom Workers of Peru, TINTTEL, through the signature of a Statement of Commitment subscribed between the contracting companies of Telefonica ITETE, COBRA, LARI and CALATE. The agreement establishes a base salary of USD 350, a bonus of USD 70; to pay for the profits corresponding to financial year 2009 on May 4^th 2010 at the latest, and taking no revenge against workers who participated in the mobilisation.

Source: Hector Díaz, General Secretary of SINTTEL hector_rossel@hotmail.com

Contact: cenise.monteiro@uniglobalunion.org



Millions of workers request nuclear disarmament

New York. Representatives of the international labour movement presented the General Secretary of the United Nations Ban Ki Moon, a petition in favour of nuclear disarmament subscribed by more then 6.7 million workers. The petition, in paper and digital format, “No more nuclear weapons”, is the result of an action campaign of the ITUC, its Japanese affiliate RENGO and the GUF UNI. “The overwhelming response to our signature campaign reveals the importance unions from all over the world grant to nuclear disarmament, and in general to the promotion of peace. It is estimated that the expenditure on armaments on a world scale is higher than 1.4 million dollars a year”, declared Guy Ryder, General Secretary of the ITUC.

Source: CSI http://www.ituc-csi.org



Protest carried out by union and social organisations of Costa Rica

San Jose. Due to the importance of the right to social protest in a space presenting itself as democratic, more than 20 organisations summon President Laura Chinchilla Miranda to pronounce against the violent behaviour of the Police Bodies. The subscribing organisations consider that mobilisation and pacific social protest are key mechanisms in the construction of a critical, proactive, autonomous and alternative conscience to which no limits can be set; that is why they make a call in order to get new adhesions to the pronouncement, to be produced before formally delivering it to the Head of State. We attach the release with the organisations’ signatures. If you want to support this social protest, send your messages with the name of the organisation and/or adherent.

Contact: Héctor Ferlini Salazar hferlini@racsa.co.cr



EU-LAC Union Summit

Madrid. The Union Summit carried out on May 4th and 5th 2010 in Madrid, Spain, made a call to Heads of Sate and the Government of the European Union, Latin America and the Caribbean for the promotion of employment, social cohesion and worker’s rights, contained in the document you can visualize by clicking on this article’s title.

Source: ITUC Press press@ituc-csi.org



Chile: Commerce Unions debate over competency certification system

Santiago. The Sub secretary of Work, made a commitment with the representatives of commerce workers to reactivate the tripartite roundtable discussions working under the previous administration, with the aim of giving solution to the sector’s problems. This was communicated by José Luis Ortega, President of the National Confederation of Unions and Federations of Commerce and Service Workers (Consfecove). The management of the Union Organisation had their first meeting with the Minister of Labour, Camila Merino and the Sub secretary of the portfolio by the end of last week, their first encounter since the new administration took over. “The meetings were highly positive and in fact the Sub secretary made a commitment to carry out all the measures with the counterparts to reactivate the roundtable discussions in the commerce sector, so it should work efficiently and with periodic meetings, said Ortega.

Source: Diario La Nación www.lanacion.cl



Panama continues to face wave of security guards’ murders

City of Panama. On May 15^th, Saturday, Gil de León, who worked as security agent, became the fourth victim, so far this year of a crescent wave of murders of workers of the industry of private security in Panama. With a shot in his head, a group of criminals took away his life. Gil De Leon leaves his wife and four sons defenceless. This tragedy adds up to the list of 101 private security agents who have been murdered between 2000 and today.

Contact: alberto.barrow@uniglobalunion.org



BDD Chilean union denounces Scotiabank anti union practices

Santiago. The Union of Workers of the Banco de Desarrollo de Chile publicly denounces the behaviour of the Canadian Transnational Scotiabank operating the bank entity, for their disrespect towards the collective agreement, the worker’s fundamental rights and their employee policy. Their disloyal actions are materialized in the constant discredit of union leaders through electronic messages, interference of the communications between unions and their affiliates; dismissals of pregnant colleagues without cause, against whom they bring legal suit in order to deprive them from their union privileges by the argument that they refuse to work; etc. We invite our readers to click on this articles’ title, in which you will find the complete text of the BDD Union’s denouncement.

Source: BDD Union sindicato@sindicatobdd.com

Contact: marcio.monzane@uniglobalunion.org



UNI-LO/TCO Project’s renewal

Buenos Aires. The “Sub Regional Launching Seminar of the Electricity Sector Project’s Renewal” was carried out in this city and through the sponsorship of LO/TCO for the 2010 period. The activity counted with the presence of the President of UNI Americas, colleague Rubén Cortina; the General Secretary of FATLyF, the President of UNI Electricity World’s Committee, colleague Julio C. Ieraci; the Regional Secretary of UNI Americas, colleague Raul Requena, the Sector’s Regional Director, colleague Fernando Mc. Master and union delegates from Argentina, Chile, Panama, Peru, Nicaragua, Guatemala, El Salvador, Brazil and Colombia. The objectives, strategies and expected results for this period were presented, which will be adjusted to the “Breaking Through objectives”, for which the participants elaborated an Action Plan proposal.

Contact: fernando.mcmaster@uniglobalunion.org



Chilean Movistar Contracting Companies workers on strike.

Santiago. The Management Committee of the National Inter-Company Telecommunications Union from Chile, SINATE, has informed that MOVISTAR, Consorcio RDTC and Cobra Communications contracting companies’ workers have gone into legal strike from May 17^th and 20^th, respectively, due to the fact that the mentioned companies are trying to transfer the 15% drop produced in the contract BUCLE/MOVISTAR bidding process to the workers (multiplied by two). The workers have emphatically refused the company’s pretence, because this reduction implies a drop of a 35% in their present income and what seems most unusual is that they are forced to increase their productivity by a 45%.

Contact: cenise.monteiro@uniglobalunion.org



UNI americas/ Twitter

We kindly invite you to join us and send us your comments and opinions to http://twitter.com/uniamericas, The Twitter logo will soon be found in our website.

Contact: mario.sanchez@uniglobalunion.org



Contribution

We thank our readers for sending their comments, suggestions and collaborations to the editorship of UNI Americas info, through E-mail mario.sanchez@uniglobalunion.org; Fax (507) 317-0170, and/or by mail, to: Apartado Postal 0819-06290, El Dorado, Panamá, República de Panamá.