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On January 27, following 43
days of negotiations, the
Industrial Packaging, Food
and Related Workers’ Union (SITEA)
signed a new collective
bargaining agreement with
Nestlé Panama S.A. The
agreement will be in force
for the next three years.
Marcelino Macías Reyes,
SITEA general
secretary, explained that
negotiations were far from
easy, but that in the end
they were able to reach a
satisfactory agreement that
benefits workers.
“The last two weeks of
negotiations were the
toughest, because that was
when we discussed the wage
clauses that were pending.”
“In particular, we had to
negotiate firmly when it
came to the general raise in
wages applied to all workers
regardless of category and
seniority, and the
reclassification by
category. These are the two
clauses that have the
greatest impact on wages,”
Macías said.
According to SITEA,
the company had proposed a
general increase of 20,80 US
dollars a month, arguing
that the minimum wage raise
decreed by the government in
January had had a major
impact in its fixed costs.
Finally, on January 27 the
parties agreed on an
increase of 10 to 14 cents
per hour, which is
equivalent to a monthly
increase of 30 US dollars.
In addition, a monthly bonus
of 12 US dollars per year of
service was determined.
“We also agreed on a
reclassification by
category, increasing the
minimum wage by 20 cents,
which is very significant,”
Macías said.
SITEA
also noted that it achieved
an increase in the number of
university and high school
scholarships granted, and on
the amounts of these
scholarships, as well as a
10-percent increase in union
hours, among other gains.
“On January 31 and February
2 we held extraordinary
assemblies in the Natá and
Los Santos workplaces, where
the workers decided to
approve and ratify the
agreement reached with
Nestlé Panamá SA,”
Maciás said.
The SITEA general
secretary took the
opportunity to thank IUF
Latin America and the
Latin American Federation of
Nestlé Workers (FELATRAN)
for the solidarity and
support that they have
always shown in the most
difficult moments.
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