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Signing ceremony in Sao Paulo

UNI global union has signed its first two global agreements with Latin America-based companies.

On October 2 in Sao Paulo, UNI and Brazilian communications affiliate SINTETEL signed agreements with Ability and with ICOMON - two providers of outsourced telecom technical services.

More than 1,000 workers are covered by the agreements that are based on UNI’s very first global agreement - with Spanish-based Telefónica that is big in the Americas as well as Europe.

The Brazilian agreements guarantee the core labour rights of the International Labour Organisation that provide workers with the freedom to join unions and to bargaining collectively to improve their conditions. The agreements also provide freedom from discrimination wherever the companies operate, ban child labour and provide for joint resolution of difficulties should they arise.

Ability currently has operations in Brazil and Chile and ICOMON has operations in Brazil and Colombia.



Group photo

“This is an important agreement for us, for UNI and it’s important for Brazil,” said Almir Munhoz, SINTETEL president. “We hope to persuade other companies in Brazil to sign this agreement.”



“We want to make companies aware that it is important that they respect workers,” ICOMON Director Vivien Suruagy told an audience of workers and management from both companies at SINTETEL’s recently renovated training college.

“Unfortunately we have a culture in some Latin America countries of thinking only about more profits - to the detriment of workers. We don’t want to continue in old ways of thinking. We don’t accept levels of contracts and remuneration that are too low, otherwise we create precarious work.”

“We have great respect for the workers’ union and for Almir and his work,” said Dr Suruagy who is also president of the telecom employers’ federation.



UNI's Philp Bowyer with ICOMON's Vivien Suruagy

“Ability and ICOMON are setting an example for other employers with an agreement that is both good for the workers and the companies,” said UNI Deputy General Secretary Philip Bowyer. The signings in Sao Paulo take UNI’s global agreement total to 22 and more are expected to be signed later this year,

“Global agreements with companies don’t solve all problems - but they establish a forum for a civilised dialogue and do what is best for workers in the industry and for the industry itself,” said Philip.



Newly renovated SINTETEL training centre

* SINTETEL has just finished restoring three late 19th century houses adjacent to their downtown Sao Paulo head offices to create a modern training college. As well as a number of training rooms for there is also a small call centre that helps find jobs for members.

With full wheelchair access the training college that has emerged from a six-year restoration programme has a course to help people with disabilities who failed to complete formal education. This is financed by employers.