Tarifvertrag in der Freihandelszone abgeschlossen

Die Gewerkschaft SOCOWA und das Management der Codevi Free Trade Zone (Grupo M) haben am 13. Dezember beiderseits einen Tarifvertrag unterzeichnet, der der Grundwochenlohn von 10,16 US-Dollar auf 21,17 Dollars erhöht. Nach der Wiedereinstellung von Streikenden ist der Abschluss dieses Tarifvertrags - des ersten in einer haitianischen oder dominikanischen Freihandelszone - ein weiterer Erfolg des Kampfesvon SOCOWA. Die (englische) Pressemitteilung "Collective Bargaining Contract Signed at the Ouanaminthe CODEVI Free Trade Zone" von Batay Ouvriye vom 15. Dezember 2005

Collective Bargaining Contract Signed at the Ouanaminthe CODEVI Free Trade Zone

Batay Ouvriye is pleased to inform the public in general, all those who have been following the situation at the Ouanaminthe Free Trade Zone, and particularly those involved in the workers' struggle there, that, after several months of negotiations, a final agreement was signed during the afternoon of Tuesday, December 13th, between management at the Codevi Free Trade Zone (Grupo M) and the SOCOWA workers' union, affiliated with the May First Batay Ouvriye Union Federation.

The base salary of 432 gourdes weekly (US$10.16 or US$1.45 daily) is to be adjusted to 900 gourdes (US$21.17 or US$3.03 daily) with, additionally, an agreement to raise salaries by 45% over a period of three years (20% first, then 15% and 10%), all this taking into account rates of inflation and currency devaluation as specifically stipulated in the national labor legislation's Article 137.

Although the question of wages was the crux of the negotiations, many other issues relating to union recognition; labor rights; working conditions; health, hygiene and security; pregnancy and sexual harassment, were also settled