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19 May, 2010
The seriousness of this issue has led to international concern and a number of organizations are working to stop this practice at both the national and international levels. The International Campaign Against Protection Contracts in Mexico was created in March 2007 and its members include Mexican institutions such as the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM) and international trade union organizations like the IMF.
The campaign's main objectives are to identify, denounce and eradicate protection contracts. The campaign's basic argument is that such practices lead to the establishment of bogus labour relations, bogus trade union organization and bogus collective agreements, a system in which control is exercised by pseudo-trade union leaders and corrupt employers. Trade union legislation makes this possible and makes illegitimate acts legal.
Protection contracts damage the trade union movement's credibility and have a negative impact on living conditions. With no real union to represent them, the workers at Johnson Controls have not been able to effectively defend their interests. Johnson Controls in Puebla employed 800 workers two years ago but now employs 600. Half the workforce is now contracted by an outside agency called One DIGIT. Women have to stand all the time while working because there are no chairs on which to rest, and the working day is more than ten hours. One year ago, the company stopped the so-called "lunch box" of food provided when working late and do not allow workers to make telephone calls during working time. One year ago, one vehicle turned over while transporting workers from shift three, including pregnant women. This accident was caused by driver fatigue.