News

Workers from across the United States traveled to the Spanish Consulate in Los Angeles to deliver a letter from SEIU Vice-President Valarie Long containing allegations of human rights violations by Spanish security giant Prosegur. Considered to be one of Spain’s largest companies, Prosegur has been accused of intimidation and mistreatment of workers, including death threats against union leaders in Colombia.

SEIU security officers and USWW janitors from all over the United States joined to deliver a package detailing Prosegur’s brutal anti-union stance and severe lack of decent safety standards in Latin America. The delegation also included trade unionists from Colombia and Peru – two of the countries where Prosegur’s anti-union practices have had the most impact.

After a warm reception from officials at the consulate, the delegation staged a protest outside which eventually led to police being called to disperse the crowd. Two New York security officers also spoke directly to a Prosegur representative at the ASIS conference to voice concerns about their actions Latin America. Flyers on Prosegur’s history of alleged human rights abuses were also distributed.

These actions came after serious concerns over safety procedures were identified throughout South America, including the use of insufficiently armoured vehicles, poor and out of date safety equipment and a disregard for procedures which put workers’ lives at risk.

18 Prosegur workers died on the job in 2014 and unions have complained that their legitimate safety concerns are being ignored by management in the region.