The seven plants that the company has bimbo on Panama are on strike, after the more than 600 workers agreed to strike due to the lack of agreements to carry out a Salary adjustment which should have been applied from July 2021.
Raphael Salazargeneral secretary of the National Industrial Union of Flour and Allied Workers (SITHA) commented to The Economist that “there is more than 8 months of delay in the fulfillment of the right of workers to a salary increase. In addition, in a violation of the rights of workers for the outbreak of strikethe company has withheld the wages of the workers”.
During the negotiations, SITHA initially proposed an adjustment of 9% and has already reduced it to 8%, while the company proposed “an increase of 2.3%, even below the 3.3% increase approved in the convention three years ago and which expired in July 2021”, added the union leader.
To the above, requests are added such as the fact of not applying the Salary adjustment from July 2021; “with which they would lose 8 months of workers salarywhich would have an impact on all labor rights indicators.”
The Bimbo company reported, in a press release in Panama, that they are committed to reaching an agreement with the workers that is suitable for both parties.
