Honduras: AB InBev does not respect collective bargaining agreement

The Union of Workers of the Beverage and Similar Industry (Stibys) mobilized to denounce the repeated violations of the collective bargaining agreement which was signed with Cervecería Hondureña (AB InBev) less than two years ago.

“AB InBev has been violating the collective bargaining agreement and has not shown any interest in seeking a solution. The company is breaching the agreement on a daily basis, “he told La Rel Julio Flores, general secretary of Stibys.

The main complaints refer to poor working conditions, lack of water in the production area and lack of parking, poor ergonomic conditions, as well as the violation of the ladder and retention of contributions for housing.

In short, the work climate has become unbearable.

“Imagine that the company has retained more than 30 million lempiras (1.2 million dollars) in contributions to the Housing Fund. This is making it impossible for workers to access new loans, “Flores explained.

Faced with this situation, the Stibys requested an inspection to the Secretary of Labor. In addition, he filed a lawsuit for failure to comply with the issue of housing loans.

“First the company used all kinds of tricks to delay the work of the inspector, then decided to challenge it and requested the suspension of the inspection. But what worries us most is that AB InBev seems to have the intention of getting rid of both the housing plan and everything that benefits the workers, “Flores said alarmed.

The general secretary of Stibys said that they have already filed more than 40 complaints with the Ministry of Labor, 20 of which were after the signing of the new agreement (September 2017).

Flores also recalled that Cervecería Hondureña continues to outsource the distribution of products through supermarkets.

“In this way it forces the unionized crews to compete with private distributors, who buy the product at a lower price in supermarkets and resell it in the market.”

“In addition,” Flores continued, “we have verified that the outsourced plant worker does not get the minimum wage, does not receive a vacation or thirteenth salary, does not get paid for rest days and has no right to social security.”

The union official explained that the Stibys will demand from Cervecería Hondureña (AB InBev) the fulfillment of all these points.

To achieve this objective, Stibys will continue with the mobilizations and will ask the labor authorities to take action on the matter.

Please find the original Spanish story posted on the IUF’s Latin America region website: http://www.rel-uita.org/honduras/ab-inbev-incumple-convenio-colectivo/