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Sirel
discussed with Ramón Alexander Mosquea, general secretary of the
National Union of Frito-Lay Dominicana Workers (SINTRALAYDO), in
the con text of their industrial action faced with the company's
intransigence.
-What's the situation with this company?
-At Frito-Lay
Dominicana, union freedom is a scarce product. It is
difficult to carry out union work and this is our greatest
difficulty.
Management, faced with government officers in charge of
employee-employers relations show themselves open to discussions
to find solutions to problems; at least that is what used to
happen until May 31.
However, those are dilatory strategies for the authorities to
believe they want the situation to improve, but it is when the
union accepts to talk that the company shows its refusal.
-What are the issues to solve?
-Essentially, there are problems with wages and working
conditions. This is why we submitted a document containing 18
demands to the company.
-And how did it all result in this conflict?
On Wednesday 2 June, we approached the human resources
management. Its coordinator refused to meet with us. His
assistant did. Then we found out that the human resources
structure of the company in charge with the relations with the
union had changed.
The new Human Resources Coordinator, Mr. Javier
Rodríguez, a Mexican, gave us a very poor welcome and
treated us so bad that we were short of being kicked. He told
us irresponsible and treated us really badly.
-What were the union actions?
-Our union organized a picket for the first time at the gate of
the Processing Plant of Santo
Domingo. We had previously resorted to the public opinion
but we did not succeed. After the picket we had a press
conference together with the National Federation of Workers in
Food, Hotel, Beverages and Tobacco Industries (FENTIAHBETA)
and the National Union Confederation (CNUS)
-Are there other union actions planned?
-We know it is our right to bring action because the company is
violating legal rules and we have communications where it is
stated that the regulatory agencies have made warnings. The
union has not brought legal action so far because it intends to
follow the path of negotiation.
We believe in dialogue, the court is a possibility, but we have
a range of possibilities, such as international campaigning with
the support of the IUF and
we are preparing a communication for the Ministry of Labor.
However, we trust there will be a chance to meet with
management.
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