FELATRAC has
its roots in the 10th Latin American Regional Conference (Buenos
Aires, 21-25│10│1991),
when the proposal of creating
Trade Departaments was
approved, thus becoming more suitable for a growing number of members in terms
of reflection and action throughout the region.
In
1998, in the city of Minas, Uruguay,
a vote for the creation of the Beverage Department also voted Raúl
Álvarez,
general secretary of the
Argentinean Federation of Carbonated Beverages and Related Industry Workers (FATAGA)
as its president.
During the following years, the Rel-UITA beverage
membership grew, particularly in Coca
Cola.
It was then when the question arose: How to turn our representativity in the
Coca
Cola system
in Latin
America
to our advantage?
Since then we began to consider the design of a new structure, and it was
precisely in Panama, in
February 2006, when this idea gain momentum. An informal dinner with colleagues
at a hotel spontaneously turned into working dinner with the participation of Raúl
Álvarez,
general secretary of FATAGA; Lázaro
“Lacho” Antonio Serrano,
then general secretary of the Union of Workers of Embotelladora Central (STECSA│Guatemala); Luis
Alejandro Pedraza, president
of the National Agro-Food Union of Colombia (UNAC); Pablo
Quiroga and Jorge
Campos
from FATAGA; Norberto
Latorre,
president of the World Committee of Hotel, Tourism, Restaurant and Catering
workers of the IUF and
myself.
I
do remember very well the defense of Luis
Alejandro Pedraza in
favor of such a structure and when he addressed Raúl
Álvarez,
emphasizing “We
need a Latin American federation and such federation needs you as president”.
Raúl Álvarez became
very enthusiastic and such enthusiasm is still present today in every solidarity
action, in every support action requested by a member union.
This year we will go back to Panama, where
the Executive Committee of the
Federation
will meet in order to assess past actions and identify new strategies to go on
growing and strengthening our joint work.
With two years of existence, FELATRAC is
not only a reality but also a need recognized by all unions of the industry
because it is an essential instrument which needs to be strengthened to face the
future.
