VW Union rules out strike

Note published in Milenio, Negocios [Business] Section by Angélica Tenahua.
Read the note in its original source

The spokesman for the Volkswagen Independent Union of Automotive Industry Workers (Sitiaw), Manuel Aburto Hernández, ruled out a workers’ strike in the company, as negotiations for the contract review were successfully conducted and, on Monday, August 17, before noon, the results on the salary increase will be reported, although he announced in advance that it will not be a 12 percent increase.

In an interview with MILENIO Puebla, he reported that negotiations between the union and the company were conducted with the best goodwill by both parties; therefore, he rejected the notion that the calendar of shifts for standing watch will be used in following days.

“We are definitely not going to use the calendar of shifts for standing watch, the strike will not take place, we believe in a salary increase for the benefit of the workers and the company”, he stated.

Given the above, he emphasized that both parties are acting in the best of faith for this revision to proceed for the benefit of the working class while not negatively affecting the German assembler.

He said that little progress had been made by last Friday, August 14 and, therefore, the members of the Review Commission, as well as the company executives traveled to Mexico City, for a contractual review before the Federal Conciliation and Arbitration Board.

He also acknowledged that the double digits of the requested 12 percent were not reached, since the union is aware of the conditions created by the covid-19 health contingency and, therefore, they listened to the proposals made by the firm.

“We don’t believe that we will reach the 12 percent increase, this was a proposal posed by the Commission, but, without a doubt, we will reach an agreement that benefits both parties”.

The union and the German assembler have until August 18 to reach an agreement and define the 2020 salary increase.