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Enviar este artículo por Correo ElectrónicoNestlé                   

Nicaragua

 

SINPROLAC reports abuse

and wage cuts

Workers are calling on the Labor authorities to speed

 up a decision against the Swiss TNC

 

In June 2010, an inspection of the Ministry of Labor (MITRAB) detected several irregularities in the Nestle plant (Compañía Centroamericana de Productos Lácteos SA – PROLACSA) of Matagalpa in Northern Nicaragua. Now, the Union of workers of Productos Lácteos SA (SINPROLAC), affiliated to the IUF, has reported a new offensive of the transnational corporation and calls on the authorities to intervene.

 

Last week SINPROLAC executives traveled to the capital and met with the Deputy Minister of Labor, outlining the urgent need for the institution to issue a final decision on the outcome of the inspection conducted in June at the Nestlé plant in Matagalpa

 

“During the inspection, the MITRAB officer detected several irregularities.  There was an initial ruling that the company appealed, and now we are asking authorities to issue a final decision, forcing Nestlé to change their attitude because no problems have been solved”, the general secretary of SINPROLAC, Felix Rizo stated for Sirel.

 

Among the main problems, SINPROLAC reported several episodes of abuse and disrespect against workers and changes in the basis for the calculation of the thirteenth-month salary.

 

“There were several instances where the company's middle management showed disrespect for workers, and there was a serious episode of physical aggression against an employee.

 

At our monthly meeting we demanded that the perpetrator of this act of violence be punished, in accordance with the internal rules, but the company took no action. In addition, verbal abuse is constant", said Rizo.

 

The general secretary of SINPROLAC also said that Nestlé unilaterally changed the method of payment, affecting the calculation of social benefits.

 

“There is an internal agreement between the union and the company for the thirteenth month calculation, which is based on the real wages. However, since last year the company began to alter the payment method, and, through trickery, the Christmas bonus began to be calculated based on nominal wages.

 

This strategy is affecting us economically", continued Rizo,"and we are asking the MITRAB to issue a final ruling requiring the company to respect the internal rules and bipartite agreements.

 

We need a greater presence and effectiveness of the labor authorities”, he added.

 

SINPROLAC also requested the MITRAB to coordinate inspections with different Government authorities.

 

“In this company we produce food. It is necessary that the Social Security Institute, the Ministry of Labor and the Ministry of Health conduct inspections to ascertain the existing health and safety situation in the company and the union must be a part of this process", said Rizo.

 

Finally, the general secretary of SINPROLAC reported that in late November the General Meeting of the Union will be held, for electing new authorities and informing members about the process of drafting the list of demands to renew the collective agreement that expires in January 2011.

 

  

From Managua, Giorgio Trucchi

Rel-UITA

November 17, 2010

 

 

 

 

Photo: Giorgio Trucchi

 

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