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Arrest Order for Legal Representatives of Prosegur Colombia

In a decision issued on the 20th of June, a Colombian judge has ordered 5 days arrest for the legal representative for Prosegur in Colombia, Alejandro Agudelo Rojas and the second legal representative of the company Jorge Alfonso Rojas (Human Resources Manager) for not complying with a judicial order from August 2012.

In December 2010, the company illegally paid 4 million Colombian Pesos (US$ 2,000) to non-union workers to sign on to a Pacto Colectivo (a labour agreement with non-union employees), in this way incentivizing the resignation of workers from the union. A judicial order in August 2012 ordered the company to pay the same bonus to unionized workers.

According to judge Carmen Rocio Vasquez, the company, “ has not offered reasons as to why they have not made [the payment to unionized workers], despite the lapse of more than enough time.”

Instead of complying with the judicial order, Prosegur continued with the same practice of paying a bonus to non-union workers to sign a new Pacto Colectivo in December of 2013, this time giving non-union labour a sign-on bonus of 2 million Colombian Pesos (US$ 1,000). In the June 20 decision, Prosegur is obliged to pay this bonus, plus any other benefits given to non-union workers, to the members of the Sintravalores union.

“Prosegur is so out of control in Colombia that the company does not respect national law or judicial orders. The company isn’t above the law and has to respect the decisions of the Colombian justice system”, said Adriana Rosenzvaig, Regional Secretary of UNI Américas.