CVG Alunasa has a labor liability of 1.4 million dollars as a settlement to its employees, who demand prompt compliance with the debt to meet their commitments
Text: Francesca Diaz / Caroní Mail
The state-owned CVG Aluminios Nacionales, SA (Alunasa), a Venezuelan company located in Puntarenas, Costa Rica, began paying severance pay to its staff after a year of delay in fulfilling the benefit, however, workers denounce that the payment was It has been carried out irregularly and only to some of the workers, with 47 employees still missing to receive the stipend.
Alunasa, dedicated to the manufacture of aluminum, is part of the holding company of the Corporación Venezolana de Guayana (CVG), in turn it has a 40-year history in Esparza, the coastal area of Costa Rica, in 2021 the company halted its operations alleging lack of of liquidity and dismissing 105 workers, who did not cancel their respective unemployment benefits (Costa Rican legal concept equivalent to liquidation).
Due to these irregularities, the Ministry of Labor and Social Security of Costa Rica agreed as the deadline payment date for the company to execute the payment in November 2022, an agreement that was breached by Alunasa, as a result, Correo del Caroní spoke with personnel from the company, who verified the situation and stated that they were consumed by debts and economic problems.
After eight months of non-payment of wages and a massive layoff in 2021, the company began to pay off its debts during the second half of December, although staff asserted that it has been canceled irregularly, since there was no official announcement and only 58 workers have received payment.
*Read also: The Venezuelan state-owned Alunasa closes operations in Costa Rica
The president of the section of the National Association of Public and Private Employees in Alunasa (ANEP), José Luis Rosales, confirmed the information in an interview with Correo del Caroní, emphasizing that the deadline was November 7, so there is a delay of more than a month by the company, which had not paid salaries for nearly a year.
“A little more than half of the workers had a carefree Christmas, but the rest of us had a troubled holiday season. We don’t know anything else about the possible payment date, since they stopped paying since December 23. The uncertainty is terrible,” said Rosales, who asserted that most of those affected have debts to pay.
According to information offered to this outlet by company employees, the debt is approximately $15,000 per worker. In context, Costa Rica is the second country with the highest salary in Latin America.
“Payments were made for the full amount, complete. As we understand. Resources have run out and they are waiting for new ones to come in”, highlighted the union leader.
A worker who preferred to remain anonymous reported that the payment was made due to agreements between the Costa Rican government and Venezuelan officials, however, she regretted that it is being paid “little by little” given the high cost of living in her country.
Likewise, the workers assured that there are rumors that the company will resume operations during 2023, but there is no official information in this regard.
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