Volkswagen workers voted not to go on strike and to accept the agreement reached between the company and the union on the revision of the salary increase and the collective contract for this year.
The Ministry of Labor and Social Welfare (STPS) proposed on Friday to both parties to submit to the consideration of the workers that the wage increases in the collective contract be retroactive to July 20 , the day the agreement was signed, and not to July 18. August, expiration date of the collective contract, meaning a direct benefit to the workers.
“We recognize our collaborators who, exercising their freedom to vote, mostly opted for the proposal that the STPS sent to the review commission of union representation and to the company last Friday, September 9,” the company reported in a statement. release.
The labor representatives of Volkswagen de México reached an agreement with the company on Friday, September 9, to change the deadline for a planned strike to Wednesday, September 14.
They also agreed to hold a consultation on Monday the 12th about accepting the STPS proposal or going on strike. Around 6,571 workers participated in the consultation: 4,118 voted in favor of accepting the agreement proposed by the company of a 9% direct increase in salary and 2% in benefits.
Volkswagen reported that the result of the vote must be “qualified and validated” by the labor authority.
Luisa María Alcalde, head of the STPS, highlighted during her participation in the Inter.Mx Expansión Summit 2022 that today greater participation of workers and a dialogue with companies is sought.
“There is the challenge of guaranteeing trade union freedom and democracy. This is also new, because we come from a culture of impositions, from the government to the companies themselves, when determining which union will be in a plant or a company,” he said.
Among the tools to guarantee freedom of association, is the creation of the Federal Center for Conciliation and Labor Registration, which “is like an INE, but in labor matters”, in addition to holding elections in companies through the “free vote and secret.”
“This exercise is being implemented in the different companies. In the automotive industry is where more specific cases have sounded… They are new processes. I give the example of Volkswagen, where they are making inquiries. This is living democracy and that is the logic, betting on a social and productive dialogue that leads us to improve wages”, he said.
