A recent report covered by the BBC News and political team covered the growing unrest amongst the workers of Peru and their represented unions. It makes interesting reading and the details will be available on the BBC and iPlayer site for a few weeks if you want to watch them, For those outside the UK you may need to use a tool like this to access the media streaming section - http://www.uktv-online.com/
Organized workers are taking to the roads to face both private companies and the government. They are criticizing the government’s refusal to invest in the state of Talara in the oil fields, where research reveals 25 million barrels worth of crude reserves lie beneath the surface. A plan by the authorities to have a minority stake of 25 percent was overturned, leaving private corporation Grana & Montero with the entire area.
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Professionals claim that the investment is sound and also the government has to risk from such enterprise. Protesters contend that Peru will lose US$300 million due to the decision to not participate in the oil drilling. They also maintain the strike will continue 24 hours, but if there are indefinitely and no alternatives they will launch the strike again. After their march, state oil workers in Lima also joined the second protest, which began at 1 p.m. This additional protest aimed to put an end to two laws, which favor short term profits for large businesses cutting workers’ rights.
Protesters marched from the Ministry of Employment to the National Confederation of Private Business Institutions. They clarified because they consider it sets the economic agenda of the government against their interests, they targeted this large business association. All important unions were summoned by their march in the call for the repeal of to shelve Congressional legislative undertaking 4008 and Supreme Decree 013. Supreme Decree 013 was enacted on Nov. 22, 2014. It authorizes a business to fire 10 percent of its own workers at the same time if it estimates future losses as a result of not cutting labour costs or reports losses for three consecutive months.
The organized workers in the march claim they fear the measure may also be utilized to fire people who are members of unions and are standing up at the office against any form of abuse. Another law, Legislative Job 4008 sent to Congress, and was composed by the Ministry of Economics and Finance, MEF. With law 4008, companies will not be unable to account for 20 percent of payments to workers as bonuses instead of salaries. That will mean this 20 percent is not included for computing benefits like healthcare and pensions, saving businesses money but taking it away from workers.
Charles Harrisson
