Gathered in Assembly during the month of July, the members of the Union of Workers of Productos Lácteos S.A. (SINPROLAC) voted in favor of joining the IUF. This decision was officially implemented on Aug. 29 by the Governing Committee, who stressed the importance of being a part of this international labor federation.

In June 2010, SINPROLAC brought successfully to an end a lengthy negotiation over wages with Nestlé management (Compañía Centroamericana de Productos Lácteos SA - PROLACSA).

In their efforts to reach this successful conclusion, workers at the Nestlé manufacturing plant in Nicaragua were aided by the IUF and the Latin American Federation of Nestlé Workers, both of which provided their invaluable support.

Félix Rizo, General Secretary of SINPROLAC, told SIREL that "in July we called an Assembly to report on the outcome of the negotiation. We also took that opportunity to inform our members of the support provided by the IUF, and how that support helped move forward a process of negotiations that had become mired.

Realizing how important this step was, Assembly participants voted in overwhelming majority to join the IUF, and we are now in the process of implementing that decision,” the union leader explained in a joint interview with the Secretary of Labor Affairs, Glen Pineda, and the Secretary of Minutes and Agreements, Blanca Hernández.

Rizo also emphasized that joining the IUF would allow their union to establish closer links and communicate better with other trade unions in the region and with the Latin American Federation of Nestlé Workers.

"Management has become globalized and the working class needs to do the same. This decision (to join the IUF) will make us stronger in our dealings with management. We'll be able to exchange information and share experiences and strategies."

"In late September, our trade union will celebrate its 32^nd anniversary," Rizo continued. "And we will call another Assembly meeting to inform members that our affiliation to the IUF has been implemented."

Nestlé presently controls 98 percent of PROLACSA's capital stock. The company annually produces an average of 11  to 12 thousand tons of products in its production plant located in the outskirts of the northern city of Matagalpa.

The plant makes powdered milk under the brand Nido, and has a packing line for all other Nestlé products that are distributed throughout Central America.

SINPROLAC has 210 union members out of a total of 280 workers employed at the Nestlé plant, of which 30 percent are women.

Marcial Cabrera (FUTATSCON General Secretary), Glen Pineda (SINPROLAC Labor Affairs Secretary), Blanca Hernández (SINPROLAC Minutes and Agreements Secretary) and Félix Rizo (SINPROLAC General Secretary)