6 October, 2011At the end of last week workers of the Gerdau plant in Cota, Colombia decided to form their own union. They made a formal demand to the Minister of Labour and informed Gerdau of their intention to start bargaining a collective agreement. The management responded with hostility.
COLOMBIA: According to the reports received by the IMF, workers of the Gerdau plant in Cota, Colombia recently decided to form their own union. Over the weekend they have formulated a formal demand to the Minister of Labour and also notified Gerdau management of their intention to start bargaining a collective agreement.
Today, on October 6, 2011 the IMF has been informed that instead of a constructive approach the management recurred to hostile tactics. Gerdau's responsible for personnel called meetings with workers where by threats they are urged either not to join or to withdraw from the newly formed trade union.
This act of blatant interference of the Gerdau management into trade union affairs is a violation of Conventions 87 and 98 of the International Labour Organization, ratified by the Colombian government.
IMF calls on all affiliates to send their protest messages to the management of Gerdau with copies to the government of Colombia demanding an immediate stop to interferences with the workers' rights to form a union of their free choice and carry out collective bargaining.
The e-mail addresses of the Gerdau management are as follows:
Olga Franco, manager at Diaco Cota:
[email protected]
Carlos Hamilton, Executive director at Gerdau Nordeste:
[email protected]
Andrea Cardona, Diaco Cota:
[email protected]
It is also equally important to send copies of your messages to the Vice President of the Republic of Colombia, Mr. Avelino Garzon at: [email protected]
Also, please send copies of your messages to the IMF at: [email protected]