Under the auspices of the government, Argentinian IUF affiliate Federación de Trabajadores de la Industrias de la Alimentaria (FTIA), has recently signed a national protocol with the Food Employers Association which recognizes the obligation to guarantee a workplace free of violence and harassment, in accordance with the principles stipulated in ILO Convention 190. C190 was ratified by Argentina in February 2021.
This protocol is the result of many discussions over the last 20 years across the FTIA which made it possible to develop inclusive strategies and plan concrete actions. The new protocol:
- Ensures that the right to live in a world of work free of violence and harassment applies to all workers, regardless of their contract and gender
- Focuses specific attention on gender-based violence
- Presents a series of preventive measures and possible sanctions, under the terms of C190, while respecting the need for confidentiality and non-revictimization of the affected persons
- Covers all food companies in Argentina included in the Collective Bargaining Agreement
Hector Morcillo, FTIA General Secretary, stated, “This protocol is the result of a long process. We used the experience developed by the IUF in the context of the agreement to combat sexual harassment negotiated with the multinational company Unilever. We are very proud of this achievement, a key next step in the implementation of ILO Convention 190.”
Patricia Alonso, Chair of the IUF Women’s Committee, added her congratulations, “To live in a world of work free of violence and harassment is a human right for all workers around the world, and in this sense, the work of trade union organizations is essential to generate strategies and mechanisms to ensure this vital right. We congratulate the initiative of the FTIA and the concrete results of their actions in defense and protection of the dignity of food workers.”
