Union leaders agree on the importance of retaking the leading role in companies in Guayana.
Every May 1st, Labor Day is commemorated, in honor of the fight for working hours.
The origin of this date was in 1996, when workers protested to reduce working hours to eight hours in the United States.
For union leader José Meléndez, May 1 is a historic date of remembrance and importance for “the new history we are writing.”
He stressed that in Venezuela the direction is being changed through socioeconomic spaces. However, regarding the situation of the companies, he noted that some presidents have initiated “harassment and persecution.”
“It is a methodology once morest the history of struggles, work and social spaces,” said who worked at Sidor for around 38 years.
He recalled that former President Hugo Chávez reduced working hours from 48 to 44 or 42 hours, an aspect that he defined as an “ethical distinction” of the former president.
“Reduce the working day so that the worker can share more in the homes. That space was for training workers. He dedicated himself to the hours of education for the children (…) Now that has been reversed once more, it is a social plan of the Venezuelan people, ”he indicated.
Meléndez lamented that workers from towns such as Ciudad Bolívar, Upata, Sierra Imataca, El Triunfo and other remote areas, “have to make a fairly sensitive journey, contrary to what Chávez proposed.”
He reported that the workers to complete the shift from 7:00 am to 3:00 pm must get up at approximately 3:30 in the morning. And they return home around 6:00 in the followingnoon.
“There is physical wear and tear on an intellectual level. When he returns home, he arrives dismembered, ”explained the union leader.
Meléndez stressed that it is expected that the north will be retaken from Nicolás Maduro and Juan Arias, as President of the Republic and Minister of Industries, respectively; together with the presidents of the companies.
“The salary issue must be reconsidered, guide the health issue. There is an approach of justice, let’s return to the Venezuela of the future in time in terms of the productive companies that Venezuelans need, ”he said.
leading role
Meléndez reiterated that the history of the workers has advanced for many years and that, at present, they have a golden opportunity to rethink structural issues and changes that might be applied.
He stressed the persecution of union leaders, and that he counts on the Venezuela of tomorrow, from the hand of God, Nicolás Maduro and Juan Arias to rethink the situation of the workers.
It should be noted that the High Level Commission of the International Labor Organization (ILO) established tripartite dialogue with the presence of trade unions, representatives of the national government and businessmen.
“The most important thing is the theme of dialogue. The workers have to have a leading role in this dialogue. The priority for the country is that there are companies”, he stated.
Freedom
Rubén González, general coordinator of the Intersectorial de Trabajadores de Guayana (ITG), noted that the current challenges in the workplace have to do with the fight they have undertaken to restore benefits.
He noted that the struggle has also aimed at the release of leaders, and that they be returned to their positions within the union organizations at the national level.
“Follow the protest once morest the abuses, the criminalization of the protest, the blackmail, the persecution once morest the workers,” he said.
The union leader pointed out that they are requesting that the workers be reinstated in their positions, which they lost during the pandemic, as a recovery of their benefits “which were removed by memorandum 2792.”
“Restitution of collective agreements, which for years were organized by union groups. The fight for the clauses for the general benefit of the workers and their families. The challenge is to continue raising our voices”, he assured.
González added that the fight also has to do with wages, since, following analyzing the increase, they have affirmed that the workers are in critical poverty. “It should be enough to support the family and have the basic basket as a reference,” he said.
no solidarity
Regarding the relationship with employers, the general coordinator of the ITG mentioned that they have not had any kind of sensitivity or solidarity.
“The State, the Venezuelan boss, has remained in power and runs over the workers. The government system that we have does not respect workers,” he stated.
From the tripartite dialogue, González said that since 2019 flagrant violations of workers’ benefits have been reported, so they hope “that it will really be done.”
“One can be once morest rigged dialogue. In terms of democracy, dialogue is important”, she closed.
protests
According to the Venezuelan Conflict Observatory, on Monday, April 18 and Tuesday, April 19, workers, retirees and pensioners from Guayana took to the streets to demand that the national government comply with the wage adjustment.
Protests continued throughout the month to resume employment benefits.
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