In Latin America, Prosegur wants to get rid of the unions

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“We are going to kill you”. On 21 March 2015, José Antonio Marchant, a union delegate at Prosegur in Chile, was beaten with an iron bar at his workplace by two unidentified individuals who had lain in wait for him. Seven months later and after five months out of work, he is still seeing a psychologist.

How did his company respond to the incident? “They have never tried to find out how I am, they have never asked how they can help me” explains the trade unionist, who needed 30 stitches.

Just one case among others that illustrates the tension that has prevailed since 2013, between the trade unions and the Latin American branches of the Spanish private security giant Prosegur.

The company has over 155,000 employees in 17 countries and on four continents. Over 60 per cent of its turnover is in Latin America (Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Mexico, Paraguay, Peru and Uruguay).

The trade union organisations represented by UNI Global Union have protested violations of human rights, labour codes and the right to organise at Prosegur. In an interview with Equal Times, Benjamin Parton, UNI Americas Organising and Campaigns Director explains: “There are death threats, attacks and even accusations of terrorism against trade union leaders. There is no proof linking Prosegur to these incidents but the succession of events is disturbing.”

In the summer of 2014, Luis Cardenas, a union leader at Prosegur Peru, was the target of defamatory pamphlets about him, distributed within his company. His management did not react. On 22 August, he was attacked by an unknown individual in the street on his way to work. He is cautious, and prefers not to link it to his work.

With over 500 members among 3,000 employees, the union created in 2013 has become a force to be reckoned with at Prosegur Peru, strong enough to successfully negotiate a more advantageous collective agreement for the workers, despite the company’s reluctance.

But, he says, there is still a long way to go. “Foreign multinationals come here because they believe it is easier to abuse labour laws, like Prosegur does in terms of working hours for example”.

 
A continental ordeal

The problem is well known in Paraguay. In 2012, some employees began their working day at 3.00 a.m. and finished at 9.00 p.m. It was one reason among others that led to the creation of “Sitepropesa”, the Prosegur Paraguay workers’ union.

When the company refused to negotiate a collective agreement, a strike was called. Reassured by the government’s promises of mediation, the nearly 400 strikers tried to go back to work.

But Prosegur’s management sacked 327 of them. Eligio Britz Jara, spokesperson for the dismissed workers, explains to Equal Times: “Their aim was to ‘kill’ the union, but we are continuing our fight outside the company. Now we are waiting for the decision of the courts, but it is complicated. Prosegur has a lot of power here.” “They want to persecute the trade union leaders in the different countries to stop them denouncing abuses of human rights and working conditions. That is why UNI Global is mobilising” says Benjamin Parton.

Prosegur’s head office in Spain was contacted, but did not wish to comment on the events reported by the unions.

In Colombia, the situation became more personal, and violent. In November 2014, Héctor Fabio Bermeo, a member of the Sintravalores union, was punched by his supervisor.

In an interview with Publico he explains: “I asked for bulletproof vests, he came into the room where I was, shut the door, and he hit me.” But, according to Prosegur, he was the one who attacked his boss and he lost three days’ pay.

On 26 October 2015, Sintravalores and Prosegur announced the signature of a collective agreement, putting an end to a seven-year dispute.

Adriana Rosenzvaig, regional secretary for UNI Americas, has welcomed this victory. She hopes this win will lead the way to resolving other serious problems faced by the unions in the region, notably in Paraguay, Chile and Peru.

 

This article has been translated from French.