With Lázaro Serrano

With no signs of improvement in FEMSA

Bargaining in a labyrinth

On the 8th May, the collective bargaining of the union (STECSA) with EMBOCEN (FEMSA) was interrupted. The union has repeatedly reported its concerns that FEMSA allows the invasion of its territory by other subsidiaries, is involved in asset stripping, is eroding the distribution routes within the framework of what the union considers a stratagem towards closing the plant and destroying the union. SIREL talked about this situation with Lazaro Serrano, Secretary of Organization and Strategy of the Workers' Union of Embotelladora Central

 

-What are the reasons for the interruption of the collective bargaining?

-There were several reasons: one of them is that the management wants a commitment of the workers to sell an unreachable number of cases. At the same time, they intend to get one assistant off the trucks that do not reach the number of packs expected by the management of 225. At present a truck crew is composed of one salesman and two helpers.

Also, the management is delivering products with third-party trucks, thus outsourcing the distribution with non-unionized workers who can sell products at prices lower than the trucks that follow the routes.

Besides, our union changed its name through the relevant procedures with the Ministry of Labor, and FEMSA has not accepted the change, although it is a lawful change within our rights. We are trying to cover ourselves because EMBOCEN has created two other companies through which it has been stripped of its assets. The management has also proposed a salary adjustment based on productivity, instead of a salary increase. This means that, if we sell more cases, we do earn a few more cents, but if we don't, there's no increase.

-Bargaining is not progressing then?

-On the contrary, the situation has worsened. On the 23^rd May, some salesmen reported that warehouses located in unsafe areas (with high criminality rates) will no longer have special prices as they used to have. This means that clients will buy anywhere else where they can find better prices, for instance they will buy from the neighboring bottlers, DIMPA and ABASA, which have been invading the exclusive territory of EMBOCEN (FEMSA)

-What actions will STECSA take?

-We have planned two for the coming week: the first one is not to wear the uniform shirts, but other white ones with some slogans, such as: “FEMSA does not honor the collective agreement and the labor conditions”, “Coca Cola Company is jointly responsible for trying to destroy FEMSA”, “Collective bargaining is a constitutional and legal right in our country".

Another action will be coordinated with the truck crews, they will carry big posters which will read as follows: “FEMSA and Coca Cola allow market invasion in order to destroy the union” and “We hold The Coca Cola Company responsible for whatever happens”.

We will also send a report to the State Attorney in charge of Union Rights with details about individuals who have been visiting our workplaces with video recorders and photo cameras, passing themselves off as lawyers or labor inspectors, and what is even worse: these visits are at 3 – 4 am. We will hold the representatives of FEMSA and Coca Cola responsible for any damage suffered by the union members.

Montevideo, Amalia Antúnez © Rel-UITA May 31, 2007