“We are not trade unionists, we are not discussing a collective contract because we do not have that power, we are simply taking proposals and approaches to the regional authorities so that they can get answers,” said the FMO worker.
Five days of protests on Guayana avenue by the workers of the Siderúrgica del Orinoco, Alfredo Maneiro (Sidor) ended, after sitting at a table with the governor of the entity. Angel Marcano.
Many workers remained waiting, given the agreements they reached.
César Marcano, a CVG Ferrominera Orinoco worker with 19 years of service and currently suspended after a demonstration in May last year, was present at the meeting along with two colleagues from Maderas del Orinoco, one from Alcasa and seven Sidoristas.
Marcano explains that in principle there were 15 points to discuss, but they were reduced to seven due to the arrests.
“In this type of situation you start with wages, but it turns out that in the course of this fight they put people in jail, layoffs, precautionary measures for workers and a host of things that in the end you end up negotiating these points and they become a priority to free the workers. parents,” he says.
Despite the fact that the authorities promised to stop the retaliation against the workers and release them, the ironworker assured “in the specific act full freedom, but we are investigating, apparently five left under precautionary measures.”
A table will be established for the remaining agreements on Thursday, after the congress is held in Caracas on January 16 and 17 with the CPT and the national government, there they will deliver the salary proposal.
Among the demands they raised on January 13, is anchoring the minimum wage to the BCV dollar or the basic basket.
“On Thursday we plan to continue the conversations like the rest of the points such as the non-required personnel that many left due to the pandemic, forced retirements, the Sidor HCM, in FMO the hospitals do not have a supply of medicines,” says Marcano.
Among the long list of issues to deal with also include withheld vacations and bonuses that were offered at Sidor.
The expectations are there, “we have a lot of faith that this will be fulfilled, the governor gave us his word, he will even be willing to hold workshops in the different companies and from time to time attend those meetings.”
Due to the increase for the month of March 2022, he alleges that the salaries became “salt and water”, after receiving a fortnight that is only around 50 dollars.
“We are not trade unionists, we are not discussing a collective agreement because we do not have that power, we are simply taking proposals and approaches to the regional authorities so that they can give them answers,” said the FMO worker.
other opinions
Due to the peaceful demonstration of the Sidorists, other companies joined the claim for low wages, but due to the actions that were carried out, some view these agreements with suspicion.
“Unfortunately the Sidorists were left alone and with the prisoners they were able to intimidate those who were in the fight, we do not have union representatives and we are unprotected, with the fall of Sidor it is difficult for other companies to continue,” they confessed from Comsigua.
For his part, Rubén González of the Intersectorial de Trabajadores de Guayana (ITG), confesses that they attended the demonstration but had no participation within the table, after being designated as “representatives of the opposition.”
“We do not share that opinion, in the entire history of the struggle of the Venezuelan workers the number one enemy has always been the Government…. they are the only ones responsible for the general debacle,” he noted.
From the ITG they continue to defend the well-being of the workforce, the rescue of contractual and constitutional benefits and union autonomy.
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