News

Earthquake in Haiti! – A Disaster for Humankind

The tragic situation faced by Haiti in the aftermath of the devastating earthquake of January 12 is incomparable in the history of the continent. UNI and its regional arm UNI americas have joined the solidarity campaign and are calling on the international community to continue providing help. UNI americas says that it is essential to increase the aid flow and international solidarity efforts. It also points out the work that its affiliates should do and stresses the need to facilitate cooperation transfers. In this regard, it highlights the prompt action of the National Nurses’ Union of the Dominican Republic (UNASED) in support of the Haitian people. These are crucial times for international aid efforts. UNI americas acknowledges Rene Preval, President of Haiti, for his strength and determination in leading the country’s reconstruction after the disaster caused by the earthquake.

Contact: raul.requena@uniglobalunion.org



33 Layoffs per Minute around the World due to the Economic Crisis

The International Labor Organization (ILO) has released a report revealing that over a 14-month period, there were 33 layoffs per minute around the world as a result of the global economic crisis. According to the ILO Annual Report on Global Employment Trends, at least 20 million people have lost their jobs since October 2008 in the countries that were most affected by the economic crisis. In Latin America, one million workers were dismissed in the first quarter of 2009 alone, although recovery from some of these losses began in the second semester of last year.

Source: www.losrecursoshumanos.com



Peruvian Court Orders Reinstatement of CLARO Laid off Workers

Ten months after magnate Carlos Slim-owned telecommunications multinational CLARO laid off seven workers in its Peruvian subsidiary, a court found that decision inadmissible and in violation of labor and constitutional rights as well as international standards, and has therefore ordered the company to immediately reinstate these workers. The workers’ defense was headed by SUTAMP, a labor organization that represents the interests of CLARO workers in Peru. This is another victory for the union’s struggle in defense of its members.

Contact: cenise.monteiro@uniglobalunion.org



Rules for DHL Employees who Refuse to Move

Unions representing workers at DHL Express’s European headquarters in Diegem have promised a redundancy package to those with a Belgian contract who refuse to move, said Lode Verschingel, trade union official of LBC-NVK of Belgium. The redundancy package will not apply to expatriates or workers under similar contracts. Management at headquarters were informed of the details of the move and learned that positions will be relocated not only to Bonn, Leipzig, and Prague but also to distant places such as Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, and San José, Costa Rica. The unions will soon come up with an alternative proposal for workers. Further consultation with management is expected to take place on January 26. A meeting with the European Works Council and consultations with the German union ver.di are also scheduled for next week.

Contact: ivonne.jackelen@uniglobalunion.org



UNI – Telefónica Alliance Meeting in Bogota

The 14th Meeting of the UNI-Telefónica Alliance was held on January 14 & 15, 2010. During the meeting, the union representatives gave Telefónica Vice-president Oscar Maraver a document requesting an answer to the letter handed in at the last meeting and highlighting the issues that still remain unsolved from 2009. These include:

1) Freedom of Association. Unfortunately, the Global Framework Agreement signed by UNI and Telefónica has not been complied with in some countries.

2) Atento. Local managers of the world’s largest call center company continue with their anti-union practices.

3) Outsourcing. The union representatives denounced the practice of “outsourcing by subcontractors” (called “cuarterización” in Brazil),” which has resulted in lower quality performance by labor in some of the company’s ongoing activities.

4) Collective Bargaining. In some Latin American countries, some previously obtained benefits have been lost in collective bargaining negotiations.

5) Colombia. Telefónica executives were asked to pay special attention to Colombia. Colombian company executives were present at the meeting and as an initial commitment, they agreed on a date for their first meeting with the local union USTC to initiate a social dialogue. This is clearly a major step forward for the country.

The document also highlighted the progress made during 2009¯for instance, in relation to local issues, such as those of CWU Ireland and STRM Mexico, with the company stating its willingness to find a solution to those problems.

Contact: cenise.monteiro@uniglobalunion.org



UNI americas Women’s Network in Colombia

The Women’s Network of Colombia was created on January 12, 2010, in Bogotá, with the presence of 23 sisters from various Colombian affiliates and UNI officials, including Sister Verónica Fernández Méndez, UNI Head of Equal Opportunities; Raúl Requena, Regional Secretary; Briceida González, officer in charge of UNI americas Women, and Sister Leonor Sierra, from the UNI Solidarity Center in Colombia. The sisters attending the event discussed a broad agenda and made valuable contributions, especially in relation to the problem of lack of freedom of association in Colombia. All the participants agreed on the urgent need to train women workers as to their rights and equip them with the necessary tools to take leadership positions in their unions¯a task that will be much more effective with the Network’s support. The Regional Secretary stated that it is essential to combat poverty and inequality, develop effective integration processes, foster a true social dialogue, and follow up on the situation of workers’ rights in multinational companies while promoting gender balance in all trade union activities.

Contact: briceida.gonzalez@uniglobalunion.org



Violation of trade union autonomy in Costa Rica

Dozens of workers and leaders of different trade union organizations gathered outside the Labor Minister’s Office to demand an official response from the Minister regarding a series of events in connection with an illegitimate meeting of JAPDEVA workers held on January 15. At that meeting, pressure was exerted to get the concession of the Limón port approved and to appoint a new Management Board of the JAPDEVA Workers’ Union (SINTRAJAP). This irregular meeting clearly demonstrates the government’s interference in SINTRAJAP’s internal affairs and its disrespect for trade union autonomy as provided for in ILO Conventions 87 and 98. Likewise, this means a new attack on the rights of JAPDEVA workers and their union SINTRAJAP. Furthermore, this event could set a dangerous precedent that could lead to other eventual acts of interference in other labor organizations. On this issue, the UNI americas Regional Secretary sent a letter to the President of Costa Rica, Mr. Oscar Arias, condemning the Labor Ministry’s interference in a purely labor issue while rejecting the criminalization of the trade union action of JAPEDVA Workers’ Union.

Contact: uni-americas@uniglobalunion.org



Government of Costa Rica Breaks off Negotiations

After the Arias government finally broke off dialogue with the union leadership SINTRAJAP, things became clear; bribery and blackmail were not accepted and the war against state corruption in was declared. After several hours Vice Minister of the Presidency, Robert Thompson and Minister of Labor, Alvaro Gonzalez, did not budge and withdrew from the negotiating table that the union leadership held open for six days and nights. The disagreement point is very simple, Oscar Arias wants to privatize the ports of Limon and Moin at all costs but he cannot do this constitutionally. The only "door" through which they can "pass" it is through an addendum to the collective labor agreement of SINTRAJAP, which has the status of Law.



As SINTRAJAP honest union leadership does not agree with privatization, they tried to bribe them with $ 800 thousand dollars. As that did not work they set up a meeting of workers and rogues and tried to make them being the new union board. Bribing the “new board” would have opened the "door" to privatization. The Arias government also pretended to stay one more week in the building in order to stop mobilization and preparation of the fight that will develop from now on. Limon just started defending the ports and the whole of Costa Rica is going to join them in the streets. This battle has just begun.

Contact: ivonne.jackelen@uniglobalunion.org



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, Panama, Republic of Panama.