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Unions protest to Panama Ambassador

Published: 12 September 2011
Google translate: 
  • Delegates at the 3rd UNI Post & Logistics Confidence being held in Washington DC, unanimously passed a resolution supporting Ismael Ruiz in his fight to be allowed to carry out his duties as the President of the Panama Postal Workers Union and to be reinstated in his job at Panama Post.



    The delegates then took a delegation to the Panama Embassy to the United States, to deliver a letter to the Ambassador to be sent to the President of Panama.



    Ismael Ruiz, the democratically elected President of ASECOTEL, the employees association for Panama Post workers has worked for the post office since 1998 but when the Panama Ministry of Government and Justice split into two, the Ministry of Security and the Ministry of Government, the post office became part of the Ministry of Government and Ruiz not transferred to the Ministry of Government in order to maintain his position in the post office.



    On May 27, 2011, Ruiz received a letter from the Director of the post office stating that as of May 30th he should report to the Ministry of Security for work abnd that he no longer worked at the Post Office. Ruiz has been attempting to fight this work relocation. On July 5, the Director of the post office prohibited Ruiz from entering all postal buildings. This work relocation and ban from entering postal buildings have prevented Ruiz from carrying out his role as President of ASECOTEL. UNI Post & Logistics Global Union sees this as a blatant attempt to restrict postal workers right to freedom of association and a disregard of workers’ fundamental labour rights.



    Therefore in the letter to the President of Panama, delivered to the Embassy of Panama in Washongtopn DC, UNI Post & Logistics Global Union, representing 2.5 million postal workers worldwide, demanded that:
    • Ismael Ruiz be immediately reinstated to his job in the post office;
    • Ismael Ruiz be authorised to enter all postal buildings in order to fulfil his role as President of ASECOTEL;
    • Panama Post commit to respecting postal workers’ fundamental labour rights and workers’ right to freedom of association.