Allusive picture. Workers of Alto Maipo Hydroelectric Poject
13 October: After fifteen days of trade union struggle, unity and regional solidarity prevailed. SINTEC/FETRACOMA, a BWI affiliate organization in Chile, announced the end of its indefinite strike against STRABAG at the Alto Maipo Hydroelectric Project.
The new collective bargaining agreement which was signed between SINTEC/FETRACOMA and STRABAG on 14 October, includes the following points:
No retaliation against workers who have been part of the mobilization and zero layoffs as a result of the indefinite strike.
Total payment of wages to all workers who participated in the strike.
STRABAG will pay $1,150,000 Chilean pesos ($USD 1,600) as a conflict term bonus.
Production bonuses will be maintained. This means that the 20 percent wage cut originally proposed by STRABAG will not be applied.
All benefits obtained in the previous collective agreement will be maintained in the project, without exception.
Limited 10 x 5 work schedule to workers who already work on this shift and those who have already been notified of their shift change. 7 x 7 work schedule will be maintained for the rest of the workers. This would prevent the dismissal of 30 percent of the project workforce, as STRABAG's originally proposed.
Payment of 40 extra hours guaranteed, plus special bonus of 10 extra hours.
Increase of the hourly payment in night shifts, approval of a new bonus for transportation to project site, increase of social assignments and bonuses, among others.
"Through their determination and commitment, the workers have achieved Víctory," stated Ambet Yuson, BWI General Secretary. He continue, "We congratulate the leaders and members of SINTEC/FETRACOMA for their courage and their ability to stand firm even when STRABAG closed access to the project and cut off food supply for workers during the strike. The final signed agreement clearly shows the high-level bargaining power of the union’s negotiating team."
The BWI affiliates throughout the Latin America and Caribbean region including trade unions in Costa Rica, Colombia, Argentina, Dominican Republic, Panama and Brazil supported the strike through the BWI Regional Solidarity Campaign during the conflict.