PANAMA
>>TERMINATED G4S WORKERS SPEAK<<
Read interviews with four guards
who discuss work, family, and their struggle for justice
PRESS RELEASE: 21 June 2007:
UNI Property Services Global Union: Panama Violates World Labor Standards in Security Guard Union Busting. Read more here . . .
PRESS RELEASE: 07 June 2007:
UNI Property Services Global Union: Union Group Calls on ILO to Support Threatened G4S Workers in Panama. Read more here . . .
28 March 2007: 
As the U.S. Congress nears the deadline to approve a free trade agreement with Panama, the Panamanian government is demonstrating its lack of concern for workers’ rights. How can the U.S. sign a trade agreement without enforceable labor standards with a country that so blatantly fails to protect workers’ rights?
G4S Panamanian workers attacked by company thugs
Even in the face of terrific oppression, workers employed by G4S' local subsidiary in Panama City are fighting a courageous battle for the return of important benefits taken away when the company merged operations and for the right to stand up for their rights without fear of retaliation.
Recently, workers were attacked by company goons while holding a peaceful protest outside the company’s offices in Panama City. Martin Cubilla, General Secretary of the National Union of Security Agency Workers (UNATS) and former G4S security officer, suffered cuts and bruises. Workers identified one of the attackers as G4S Assistant Director of Operations.
Unfortunately, the Panamanian government response to the attacks has been to do nothing. The Panamanian government’s failure to protect these workers and their legal rights is of particular concern as the United States and Panama are negotiating a free trade agreement. Panama’s Labor Ministry has repeatedly declined to investigate or prosecute charges of labor law violations brought by workers. Instead, the union reports that the Ministry is now backing a campaign to topple the union’s leaders – trying to replace the leaders who have stood up for workers’ rights with others who might be more malleable.
Chronology:
- After a six year wait, workers at G4S Valores, S.A., get the company to agree to participate in contract talks. Workers see raises on the horizon.
- Without consulting with their union, UNTAS, some 580 worker are transferred from one G4S subsidiary, G4S Valores, S.A.,to another, G4S, S.A.
- As a result of the transfer workers lose years of seniority. Guards who had worked for the company for 25 years saw their term of service changed to zero. This is a double blow for workers -- not only are their years of hard work devalued, but their retirement benefits and unemployement benefits are in jeopardy. These benefits are calculated on the basis of workers’ seniority.
- Workers protest the company’s decision at a huge rally outside the company’s offices.
- G4S fires 40 of the protesters.
- Workers ask the Ministry of Labour to intervene on at least five separate occasions.
- Workers establish a round the clock vigil outside the company’s offices.
- Company goons physically attack workers participating in vigil
- Workers continue vigil and appeals to Ministry of Labour.
Government Accepts Union’s Complaint; Worker Vigil Continues into Fourth Month January 29, 2007
Workers at G4S’s subsidiary Wackenhut in Panama are continuing their vigil for justice, which has now lasted more than four months, since 10 September 2006. The Union of Security Workers (UNATS), the union epresenting the workers, has submitted a list of workers’ rights violations to the government. Unlike the repeated submissions that UNATS has made to the Ministry of Labor over the last several months, the government has accepted this latest submission for investigation and possible action. The union reports that the vigil has had a negative impact on the company’s business in Panama.
UNATS General Secretary Martin Cubilla said “Both the Ministry of Labor and Wackenhut are feeling the pressure from the more than 2000 LabourStart activists around the world who have told them to stop mistreating workers in Panama. We hope that the international pressure will continue to build until Wackenhut recognizes our rights.”
The union demands that forty workers fired for speaking out for their rights be reinstated, and that nearly 600 workers who were stripped of seniority after G4S acquired another company be made whole through recognition of their seniority. G4S claims that the forty workers were fired for participating in an illegal strike. In fact, the workers were not striking; they have continued to work their shifts since the vigil began. UNATS also reports that the company has violated both national law and the union’s collective bargaining by not providing security officers with weapons in good repair, radios, uniforms, ammunition, bulletproof vests, and other equipment necessary to fulfil their duties. UNATS also alleges that the company has violated the law by forcing workers to affiliate to another union and failing to provide information to workers about the collective agreements, among other violations. The complaints UNATS have filed also include a variety of specific violations of the collective bargaining agreement, including failing to provide transportation for the nightshift to certain neighbourhoods, failing to provide break rooms in some cities, and failing to deduct union dues and give those dues to the union.
The complaint filed with the government explains that more than 580 workers were transferred from one corporate entity to another without consultation with the workers or the union. This transfer was ordered days before the workers were to have bargained a new collective bargaining agreement. They had been waiting for six years to negotiate raises and other benefits. In addition to being deprived of this long-awaited opportunity to negotiate improvements in their work situation, information printed on workers’ pay checks indicated that they had been dropped to just one months’ seniority, despite the fact that most workers had between eight and 25 years of service.
Group 4 Securicor sacks 40 protesting workers January 18, 2007
Vigil continues -- G4S refuses to rehire fired union members
For more than three months now, workers have maintained a vigil at the office of Valores, S.A., a G4S subsidiary in Panama. The workers have also protested at the British Embassy in Panama, which denied any responsibility for G4S’s behavior. The company continues to refuse to rehire forty workers who were fired on October 17, 2006, for participating in the protest.
The Union of Security Workers (Unión de Trabajadores de Agencias de Seguridad) are demanding improvements in their working conditions. In a letter supporting the workers’ demands, Union Network International reports that these men and women receive low pay, are not always paid the overtime rate they deserve, and are not given the equipment they need. Workers are also protesting the transfer of more than 580 workers who, the union says, were transferred from one corporate entity to another without any discussion with the union or the affected workers. This transfer, the union reports, wiped out rights and benefits that workers had accrued over years on the job.
The company also attempted to have the workers’ action declared an illegal strike. The courts, however, decided on October 24, 2006 that this was not reasonable since the company had not demonstrated that a strike was taking place.
Worker Vigil at G4S Panama G4S Reaches Third Week October 30, 2006
For more than three weeks, workers have maintained a vigil outside G4S headquarters in Panama. These workers, members of the National Union of Security Workers (UNTAS), are demanding improvements in their working conditions and justice for 580 workers who, the union says, were transferred from the company Grupo Valores to G4S without the company engaging in any discussion with the affected workers. The union also reports that G4S fired forty workers.
The company has attempted to have the workers’ action declared an illegal strike. The courts, however, decided on October 24, 2006 that this was not reasonable since the company had not demonstrated that a strike was taking place.