Workers in the Riosur Free Trade Zone denounce mistreatment

On July 17th, the Ministry of Job The suspension of the activities of 11 companies located in the Zone Franca Riosur, Santo Domingo Este. Labor inspectors reported around 153 violations. Most of them correspond to violations of safety and health at work.

Diary Free He went today to the zone frank to see the situation that was revealed yesterday by the ministry.

[object HTMLTextAreaElement] — A vehicle from the Ministry of Labor entering the Riosur Free Trade Zone. (**FREE DAILY/DANIA ACEVEDO**)

“You cannot enter,” say the security guards, posted at the main gate. At this moment, a vehicle from the Ministry of Job enters the facilities.

The industrial complex has Nine days under lock and keyFor this reason, hundreds of workers have not been to the site for more than a week, a place where they earn their living in deplorable conditions.

Of Herd Old To Riosur, a walk under the sun

Herd Old It is a small municipal district located near the zone frank in question. Some of the people who work at Riosur live here.

Most of them have to walk to work for a long time. long straight where trucks pass by. A hot road to work. There, they were not expecting pleasant conditions.

Vladimir Vargas He has not been to Kington Aluminium SRL, a Chinese-owned company operating in the free zone and which is among those suspended, since July 17. “Our working conditions were difficult,” he says.

At his side, sharing a game of billiards, is Samuel Belt22, who also works at the company. “They treated us badly, sometimes even mentally assaulting employees, using obscene words in Chinese and Spanish,” she adds.

Further on, on the town’s main avenue, a 33-year-old man approaches Diary Free to speak. He is Joseph Corner of Jesus, and although he does not work in the zone frankhas an opinion about the companies operating there.

“They don’t help the community. The wages are bad and the workers go on foot. They don’t treat the workers well,” he says. He also emphasizes the poor relationship that the companies have with the town. “They should make a contribution to the community and they haven’t done anything,” he concludes.

The Ministry of Labor reported yesterday that in the 11 paralyzed companies the inspectors raised approximately 153 violation reports, of which 102 correspond to violations of the Health and Safety Regulations at work.

The 51 remaining They are for violations of the Labor Code relating to minimum wages, overtime, absence of a Workplace Health and Safety Committee, weekly rest, non-payment of vacation pay, failure to enjoy vacations and excessive working hours.

Inside of Herd Oldin houses built with wood and tin, some workers of the zone frank They are sitting on chairs outside. Others are loading wheelbarrows with cement.

Ricantone Perez20 years old, is laying cement in an area of his house and says that he worked in another of the paralyzed companies. His work hours were not very well regulated. Sometimes he worked “five hours, eight hours or 10 hours, depending on the day.” As for his salary, he received “9,000 pesos every two weeks.”

Near him, with a sad and dejected face, Mackenson rests in a chair. He explains that he works in a “factory “plastic.” His bosses are also Chinese. He says his conditions “were not good.”

When talking about his bosses, he says that “all Chinese are bad, They don’t pay well“One day, working from seven to seven, 400 pesos,” he concludes.

Mamey of Warbetween Haitians and Dominicans

Another of the towns with the presence of workers from the zone frank is Mameyof WarIt is located on a detour of the Mella highway, one kilometer inland. The road is not paved. Dominicans and Haitians live here.

Angelo Tusena 34-year-old Dominican, also works in Kington Aluminiumthe most questioned company.

“The treatment was bad, we had half an hour to eat. We had to eat quickly because otherwise they would cancel on us. From seven in the morning to seven at night,” he explains. Diary Free.

He, despite putting his job at risk, decides to be critical and talk about the unfavorable treatment of Haitians“There is a group of Haitians who make them work from eight in the morning to eight at night, even on Sundays. If they don’t work, they get fired. That’s what the Chinese do,” confesses Angelo.

At his side, Elysium José, from the same company, says that “the treatment was not very good.” “The time was very long“, from seven to seven.”

Regarding payment, he explains: “We complained about the payment, which was 7,500 to 8,500 pesos“It was an abuse. They threw me out for a year and didn’t give me anything.”

In relation to the workplace abuse, Elysium He confesses: “There was verbal abuse, but they couldn’t physically do it, because Dominicans are strong.”

Spanish journalist and writer. Graduated from the University of Navarra.

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