The Trade Union of Peruvian Eternit Factory Workers, SITRAFAPESA, with headquarters in Lima, has called for a 48-hour strike in the Fabrica Peruana Eternit SA. The union demands the immediate payment of wage arrears by their employer, the ETEX Group company that builds fiber cement, gypsum and polyethylene panels since 1940 for the Peruvian, Latin American and European construction market.
More than 700 workers grouped in the union took the decision to go on strike on their General Assembly held on 4 March 2018. The union has scheduled the mobilization on 27 and 28th of March, following all the precautions required by Peruvian labour law and after exhausting all dialogue and understanding resources for the payment of the total owed wages to its workers.
According to the General Secretary of the union, Luis García Sánchez: "There is hardly an agreement for the payment of 40% of the total owed, but there’s no understanding for the remaining 60%." Sánchez adds: "This situation forces workers to go on strike since the company does recognize the error in the calculations but does not undertake any action to compensate the workers for the total amount owed".
Nilton Freitas, BWI Regional Representative for Latin America and the Caribbean, sent a stong protest message to Manzur Fegale, General Manager of the company urging him to reach an agreement without delay and supporting the union demands. BWI will continue to monitor the situation.
BWI also has affiliated trade union organizations of the same multinational group around the world.