Grupo Carso call center workers decide to go on strike due to failure to reach an agreement on salary increase

Note published on September 27 in El Economista, Empresas [Companies] Section by María del Pilar Martínez.
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Around 3,500 workers decided to go on strike as members of the Amatech call center, belonging to Grupo Carso, because the company offered a 2.1% salary increase when workers demanded 12%.

Isaías González Cuevas, general secretary of the Revolutionary Confederation of Workers and Peasants (CROC), said in an interview that “it is offensive for the company to offer this increase to workers when the reported inflation is of 5.8 percent.”

The Conciliation and Arbitration Board, said González Cuevas, requested that an agreement be reached; the workers, however, decided to go on strike, given that no offer above this percentage was presented.

After pointing out that “there cannot be rich companies with poor workers”, González Cuevas stated that they expect a salary increase of 8%, as a minimum, “we are calling as strike in order to achieve a balance in production factors and the company is a company with good earnings, it is a rich company.”

The union leader stated that “a 2.1% increase is a mockery, an offense; the basic basket of goods is above this, this increase is not good for anything, and it is illogical, taking into account that inflation is at 5.85%”, he added.

At 13:00 hours of yesterday, Monday, workers placed the red and black flags, as it is not only about a salary increase, they also hope to improve their benefits such as food vouchers, savings plan; nevertheless, the argument is that this is not an appropriate moment for complying with these requests.

It is worth remembering that lawyer Óscar de la Vega, partner at the D&M Abogados Firm, predicted that salary negotiations would face complications, given that reported inflation levels are above 5 percent. “This year will present strong pressures; for example, in the automotive sector which has closed agreements at 5%”, said the specialist.