News

In coordination with the Regional Office of UNI Americas and the Regional Director of UNI G&P Marvin Largaespada, the Head of UNI G&P Javier Carles visited Brazil, Colombia, Uruguay and Venezuela between July 20 and August 2. The visit took place in the context of the political shift to the right in South America, economic stagnation in the region and the growing resistance of unions to deliver gains of the past decade.

During the visit to the region, three workshops on organizing in multinational companies and a collective bargaining workshop were held, with the participation of comrades from Kimberly-Clark, Smurfit Kappa, Amcor, Tetra Pak and national companies. In addition, meetings were held with key leaders of graphical and packaging unions of each country, focusing on strategic priorities and UNI Graphical & Packaging organizing projects.

In Venezuela, the Kimberly-Clark plant in Maracay was visited on 21 July. Local management had abandoned it 12 days before laying off nearly 1,000 workers through an SMS and a voice message. UNI protested to Kimberly-Clark (please see related article). The Kimberly-Clark union, with support from the federation of graphics, cardboard and packaging and the Government of Venezuela, is restarting the production of the plant under the control of workers.

A meeting with the Labour Minister Oswaldo Vera and delegates from Amcor, Kimberly-Clark, Smurfit Kappa and Tetra Pak was held, where concern was expressed about the fact that the packaging industry has almost stopped. In several plants, only 10% of their capacity is produced. Unions fear for jobs and for the consumption of the population, since these plants are key providers of diapers, toilet paper, milk and juice boxes, etc.

In Colombia, the plant of Kimberly-Clark Tocancipá was visited on July 25 and a positive meeting with union leaders and local managers was held prior to the start of the negotiation of the collective agreement. A second meeting took place with the newly formed union of Kimberly-Clark plant in Barbosa and a third meeting with the unions of the Smurfit Kappa Group, focusing on strengthening the partnership between UNI and IndustriALL in the region.

The Peace Process in Colombia and the support of UNI towards it, was on the table at all meetings held with the unions. In the case of the meeting with management of Kimberly-Clark Tocancipá, it was the president of the National Union of Workers in graphical and packaging, Juan Alberto Parra, who raised the important role of businesses in the reintegration of former combatants. The company will evaluate how they can collaborate on this issue or others.

In Brazil, unions expressed concern about the coup against President Dilma Rousseff, elected by the Workers Party, the future of democracy in the country and the attack on the unions which lies ahead. In Uruguay, comrades from the graphical union expressed concern about the neoliberal policies which are being taken by the Broad Front Government headed by President Tabaré Vázquez.