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UNI Global Union has filed a fresh complaint against Prosegur (called “Specific Instance”)  with the Spanish government  because of the Spanish security company’s systemic failure to uphold the rights of  its employees  in Latin America and India.

In the new case, UNI describes how Prosegur has continued to engage in conduct that violates the OECD Guidelines for Multinationals, following an earlier case filed in 2013.

In the first case, UNI cited multiple examples of serious anti-union behaviour by Prosegur management in Paraguay, Brazil, Colombia and Peru and some of those cases are unresolved. Prosegur refuses mediation and continues to allow its employees’ rights to be violated, using the excuse that local managers are acting  in accordance with “local practices” and that Madrid should not get involved.

UNI has felt it necessary to bring a new case because the situation has further deteriorated in the last few years. Prosegur has negligently omitted to carry out due diligence into serious complaints linked to anti-union behaviour by local managers, including the death of Colombian security guard, Alcides de Jesús Cotes Jurado, who was killed in a robbery on the job following threats against him because of his union membership,  in circumstances never properly investigated by the company.

According to his union SINTRAVALORES, Alcides was working as part of a three man crew at time of his death in 2016 but was the only member of Prosegur staff on duty. His two colleagues were outsourced employees which is  a clear violation by the company of article 55 of its collective agreement. Reports say that neither guard pulled a weapon to defend Cotes during the assault and that no money was taken.

Colombia is one of the world’s most dangerous countries in which to be a trade unionist, and Alcides' death came just weeks after he joined the union. SINTRAVALORES says Alcides had been subject to harassment and threats from his own manager who had told him to "take care on the streets" after he refused to leave the union. 

UNI Global Deputy General Secretary Christy Hoffman said, “Prosegur’s gross failure to use “due diligence” in order to protect the human rights of its employees continues. The situation is worsening as Prosegur’s footprint expands across the globe.  For example, in India there is extensive evidence that Prosegur does not respect the laws which protect minimum standards. 

“We are calling on Prosegur to stop burying its head in the sand over a systemic failure which is becoming an epidemic. 

“Colombia has entered a more positive period with the progress of the peace process. It is time for Prosegur to seize the opportunities provided by this new enlightened spirit and say no to the anti-union behaviour that has tainted its operations there.”

See the details of the new UNI Global Union complaint under the OECD Guidelines for Multinationals (Specific Instance Communication against Prosegur) in the ‘Related Files’.