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   Puerto Rico

With José Rodríguez Vélez, MSS

Imminent Strike at Pepsico (CABCORP)

 

José Rodríguez Vélez is the president of the Solidarity Trade Union Movement (MSS), in dialogue with Sirel he commented on the situation workers are living at Pepsico (CABCORP) in his country and the imminence of a strike if this transnational corporation continues not honoring the Collective Agreement signed earlier this year.

 

-What is the conflict faced with Pepsico in Puerto Rico?

-About a year ago  CABCORP bought  Pepsi Cola of  Puerto Rico.

The last collective agreement expired in February, we were negotiating with  CABCORP in January and February, we signed a good deal, with a significant wage increase, with increased contributions to our health plan and a number of improvements in benefits for workers.

 

This agreement became effective in March this year and in the period April-May CABCORP changed its administration in  Puerto Rico. They brought managers from Guatemala and thereafter the company has been in constant violation of the Collective Agreement.

 

-What are the points that are not respected?

-During collective bargaining, the  MSS managed that the company paid sales commissions separate from salary of workers in this sector, but now the new management wants to replace the percentages that were agreed with lower ones.

 

On the other hand, sales routes have been restructured in such a way that management wants to use outsourced workers in a blatant attempt to destroy our strength in that sector.

 

In addition to this, they want to change the pay period. For 30 years workers at  Pepsico, have been paid weekly, this new administration has implemented bi-weekly pay, an action that directly affects the administration of workers and their families.

 

-How have they reacted to this?

-On October 16, at the general meeting, which was attended by nearly 300 workers, the strike was passed, which will take effect the last week of December or the first week of January if  CABCORP continues with the intention of violating our collective bargaining agreement.

 

-What unions belong to the MSS in addition to Pepsico employees?

-The Solidarity trade union movement organizes workers in the dairy industry, in particular  Suiza Dairy, owned by Grupo Gloria ,Peruvian capital, and Indulac, dairy industry of  Puerto Rico. We organize  Crown Cork, a company which produces aluminum cans, soda and beer cans, and service workers.

 

 MSS is affiliated with the Coordinating Association of  Puerto Rico at the national level and we are trying to establish contact with colleagues in the Union of Beverage and Related Industry Workers   (STIBYS) of Honduras which is affiliated to the  IUF.

 

We need to coordinate actions with other workers with the same pattern, CABCORP is in Nicaragua, Honduras and Guatemala, , the unity of the working class to confront it is urgent, for that, the Regional Secretariat of the IUF is key to implement this coordination .

 

 

CABCORP (The Central America Beverage Corporation), formerly Mariposa Group, is the largest Guatemalan beverage company and oldest in the region. Founded in 1885, CABCORP has the right to produce and distribute PepsiCo products since 1942.

 

CABCORP is the anchor bottler of PepsiCo Central America. Their territories include Guatemala, El Salvador, Nicaragua and southern Honduras.  Additionally, CABCORP is a member of InBev, and distributes their beer .

 

CABCORP global brands are Pepsi, 7Up, Mirinda, Gatorade, Brahva, Adrenaline Rush, Grapette, Petit and Campestre among other regional brands .

 

The IUF is very familiar with this group, known for its anti-union policy and attitude.

 

 

From Montevideo, Amalia Antúnez

Rel-UITA

November 18, 2010

 

 

 

 

 

 

  UITA - Secretaría Regional Latinoamericana - Montevideo - Uruguay

Wilson Ferreira Aldunate 1229 / 201 - Tel. (598 2) 900 7473 -  902 1048 -  Fax 903 0905