News

Meeting in Sao Paulo, the graphical workers analyzed the crisis and the status of social dialogue with CONLATINGRAF.





“The signing of a Social Agreement with the Graphical Chamber will help us confront the crisis using social dialogue as our point of departure.”

Pedro Hurtado, from the Graphical Arts Union of Panama, opened his report before the meeting of the Coordination Group of Graphical Unions of the Southern Cone with these words. The group met in Sao Paulo, Brazil on March 15 and 16.

In Argentina, Chile and Panama, work has begun alongside employers in what have come to be known as “Crisis Committees.” Through this work they seek to minimize the effects of the crisis on employment and the standard of living of workers.



“For about twenty years now, the unions have been announcing that this model would bring about a generalized disaster. An absent State, along with casino capitalism protected by market fundamentalists led us to this situation of catastrophe,” pointed out Adriana Rosenzvaig. “Now we want to be heard, listen over and over again, people come first,” she concluded.



The Working Group analyzed the progress made in 2008 with regard to the application of the Declaration of Buenos Aires and the proposals to be discussed at the next meeting with CONLATINGRAF, which will take place in October.



“In Argentina, Chile and Panama we are working jointly on issues such as vocational training, occupational health and safety, and others,” reported Leonardo del Roy, President of UNI Graphical Americas. “Nevertheless” he underscored, “we cannot say the same for progress in Brazil, where in some states of the country, ABIGRAF still maintains an attitude of indifference, even hostility, toward dialogue,” he remarked.



Marie Kihlberg Nelving, from UNIONEN, noted the importance of union work on occupational health and safety as a way of building an effective bridge of social dialogue with the companies.



The Group analyzed the results of collective bargaining carried out in 2008. “In many countries of our region, the right to collective bargaining is not respected,” underscored Valentín Vega. In order to support the right to collective bargaining the unions made a commitment to implement common actions on a Day of Solidarity that is to take place this coming October 10.



The Bolivian Graphical Federation Presents Request for Renewed Affiliation to UNI

The request for re-affiliation from our Bolivian colleagues, represented at the meeting by Gutemberg Escobar, was received with great joy. “We want to come back to the bosom of UNI and take part in this global struggle for worker rights with all of you,” said Gutemberg upon handing in the application.

For more information, please contact: Marvin.largaespada@uniglobalunion.org