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Once again Nestle is news as
a consequence of attacking
workers’ basic rights.
When Nestle ice-cream
factory of Santo Domingo
suddenly closed its doors,
200 workers became
unemployed, now a new fact
is added: the refusal to
pay an annual bonus which
has been paid to workers for
38 years. Imperiousness and
hypocrisy are again the
feature of Nestle relations
with its workers. The Union
of Nestle Workers of San
Francisco (SINTRANESTLESF)
held a protest action
yesterday, Tuesday 19, at
the Nestle plant. Workers’
family members were present
in the demonstrations, and
also supportive delegations
from various unions. Sirel
dialogued with some of them
during the demonstration.
Elvis Duarte
SINTRANESTLEF General
Secretary
“We are in front of the
Nestle plant of San
Francisco de Macorís,
formerly, CODAL. For
this peaceful demonstration,
projected with the
participation of family
members, also community
social organizations, unions
of building workers, nurses
and other organizations of
the civil society have come
to support our demand to be
paid our annual bonus by
Nestle.
We also have the support of
the IUF through
Bernabel Matos who is
here with us, as usual.
Nestle
forgets this is San
Francisco de Macorís.
The company has violated all
the procedures, including
those of the Labor Code
which provide that if
workers are not in agreement
with the benefits, the
company must provide the
corresponding reports to
exhibit their losses or
benefits before the closing
date of the fiscal year.
Instead, Nestlé has
only published a
communication stating that
only 35 per cent of the
bonus will be paid.
We will go on fighting and
the establishment of a forum
in San Francisco for the
discussion of this problem
is being decided now.”
Samuel Santana
SINTRANESTLESF
Organizing Secretary
“We are at a permanent
demonstration in front of
the factory because the
company has refused to pay
the full annual bonus as it
has done for 38 years. So
far we have only got paid 35
per cent.
We, workers are willing to
fight for our rights to be
respected and to defend our
interests. We devote full
time to the company, we have
demonstrated that we want
the business to grow, but
this cannot be done based on
the sacrifices of those in
hardship.
We are the working class,
and under the circumstances
of this country it is very
difficult for all of us that
the company does not want to
honor their debt. Given this
situation, we raise our
voice and we have here the
supportive presence of the
Food Workers Federation (CNUS),
main central union of the
country, the local council
members and the people of
San Francisco are all
present. We have had several
contacts with the company,
but they are still reluctant
to pay attention to our
demands.”
Agustín Vargas
CNUS
First Vice President
“Our brothers and sisters at
Nestle, together with
CNUS, have prepared a
plan for our fight so that
this transnational will
honor the workers' rights
because the company has
stolen 65 per cent of their
bonus. However, Nestle
managers have distributed
million-dollar productivity
bonuses among themselves
based on corporate earnings.
This is why we are here.
At this moment there are
approximately 500 people
taking part in this
demonstration. We have held
protest actions at lunch
time, and we have instructed
a group of lawyers to act at
the court level, so we act
in the two possible fields.”
César Trinidad
President of the Peasant
Federation Mamá -Tingó
“Our Federation, which is a
regional peasant
organization, is here with
our brothers and sisters of
Nestle because it is
our understanding that there
is only one struggle for all
workers. This struggle is
also that of agricultural
workers and peasants. We are
not indifferent to the
exploitation and the abuse
of the powerful against the
weak.
We all, rural workers and
urban workers, need to march
together for a different
life, for a different world,
and we will maintain our
solidarity with the workers
of Nestle.”
Olga Cáceres
Leader of the National Union
of Nurses SINATRAE
“The representatives of the
nurses union are here to
demand a positive response
of Nestle to our
brothers and sisters and we
will stay together until
this happens. Unity and
solidarity come first for
workers when we are dealing
with the defense of our
rights and achievements.
The spirits are very high in
this demonstration, we are
sharing with our families
and many San Francisco
community members because
this factory is very
important for the economy of
this area.”
Víctor Batista
Leader of the Dominican
Union of Teachers
“There is here a large
delegation of teachers in
active and militant support
of the just struggle of our
friends, brothers and
sisters of Nestle.
They have achieved the
support of different sectors
of the San Francisco
community, social
organizations and the civil
society who have come to
express our solidarity and
support.
These workers, with their
effort, have made of
Nestle the sales leader
of the area, that is why
Nestle cannot claim
losses or deny a bonus to
which workers are entitled,
and which they have earned
with their work and
sacrifice.”
Rafael Serrano
SINTRANESTLESF
former General Secretary
“This mobilization is to
demand the complete payment
of bonus which has been
complied with by the company
since the previous company,
CODAL, took control.
This bonus is stipulated by
Dominican law, but Nestle
has decided to cut it, which
is a very difficult
situation for all workers.
We are here in the street to
demand that Nestle
complies with its duties, in
the same way we are all
supposed to act, and even
more when we go to work
every day. The company knows
this conflict will only be
solved when the whole bones
is paid, so that we all go
on working in peace and
harmony to develop the
business, but certain that
the growth of Nestle
will not be obtained on the
basis of poverty of workers,
or taking away what belongs
to workers.
Local and international
solidarity of the IUF,
which has always been where
the struggle of workers is,
is being felt.
We know this begins here,
with us, but tomorrow it
will happen to the rest of
workers because companies
want to change the Labor
Code, re-make the rules so
that they are favorable only
to companies."
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