“In the last few days,
the protest actions have involved workers from every shift in the production and
sales areas at the central plant of the Guatemalan capital.”
“The mobilizations also
include marches in the streets around the central plant and have spread across
the country, involving department agencies,” David Morales, general
secretary of the Trade Union Federation of Food, Agroindustry and Related
Industry Workers of Guatemala (FESTRAS), told
Sirel.
Morales
explained that STECSA still demands that Coca-Cola FEMSA abandon
its intention to implement
measures that
jeopardize work stability and wage guarantees, and to introduce a presales model
and dynamic routing.
This system means that sales sector workers will have a
variable salary, that is, they will be paid a basic salary and a commission on
the sales they make. They currently earn a fixed amount for every crate of
soft-drinks they sell, but the percentage offered by the company now is less
than that amount. Dynamic routing entails changes in the distribution routes,
which could mean loss of jobs.
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As workers, we are
defending our constitutional right to collective bargaining, and we’re making
ourselves heard on a national and international level through these protests
that are increasing daily in intensity. |
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“This would
jeopardize the very existence of the union in the short term,” the union
leader said.
As a result of
management’s intransigent and dilatory attitude, last February 21 negotiations
for the new collective bargaining agreement were suspended.
STECSA had no other choice but to initiate a series of protest activities,
which are being coordinated nationally and internationally with
FESTRAS, FELATRAC and Rel-UITA (IUF Latin America).
“As workers, we are
defending our constitutional right to collective bargaining, and we’re making
ourselves heard on a national and international level through these protests
that are increasing in intensity every day.”
“If Coca-Cola FEMSA
does not reconsider its position and refuses to resume negotiations responsibly,
it will be force us into a strike. It would be a long and draining process, but
we’re preparing ourselves for any situation we may have to face,” Morales
said.
Forty-eight of the 85
clauses proposed by management and the union had been approved before the
negotiations were suspended, but agreement had not been reached on the issues
most critical for the future of labor relations in the company.
“STECSA is
asking management to ratify what is already contemplated in the collective
bargaining agreement: the rights gained over many years of struggle. Once that
is secured, the union will dialogue with management for wage improvements,”
Luch said.
