After resuming the dialogue table on Thursday the 17th, GAM and the institution's unionized workers reached a new benefits agreement today, Wednesday, January 23, described as responsible by the executive director.
"The new agreed benefits seek to narrow the wage gap, in salaries less than 600 thousand pesos; to recognize work seniority; and to encourage studies, among others. We seek together with the union to agree on responsible benefits for a cultural center that has good working conditions and is not for profit," explained Felipe Mella, executive director of GAM.
The new 2019 agreement, which will be in effect for three years, increases the daily lunch ticket (remaining at $4,000) and will not be deducted in the case of medical leave up to 8 days a year. An allocation of $400,000 is defined for the birth of sons or daughters of mothers and fathers who work for the Corporation; and an allowance for higher education equivalent to $150,000 is provided.
In addition, the National Holidays and Christmas bonus is increased, setting it at $70,000 gross; a seniority bonus of five years completed is assigned; and incomes of less than $600,000 gross are increased to this value, considering that in the case of part-time work this calculation will be made according to the equivalent full-time work day.
In the cases of workers whose children, due to medical prescription, are prevented from attending daycare, they will receive a bonus equivalent to the current daycare allowance, which is $240,000.
The annual valuation of the signed agreement, added to the previous benefits that are maintained, have an approximate annual cost of $200 million per year.
The dialogue table was interrupted by an illegal strike that began on Tuesday the 15th in the afternoon, carried out by 59 workers (of 101 that GAM has) and that lasted a day and a half. The GAM billboard was held normally in January without interruptions and the calm demonstrations of the legitimate demands of the workers did not greatly alter the functioning of the cultural center.
After the strike was called off early on Thursday the 17th, the work table with the administration resumed, reaching a final agreement this Wednesday, January 23.
“We appreciate that the workers have been willing to evaluate a counterproposal different from the original one in tune with the economic reality of the corporation and that we have reached an agreement that is the result of dialogue,” says Felipe Mella.
It should be remembered that the union's original request included the request for a minimum salary for its members of $800,000; the readjustment of $120,000 above the CPI for associates, a weekly bonus of $15,000 per worker for just the fact of attending work. This, among other requests, formed a request that, when valued, reaches a total sum of $608,702,000 per year.
The strike was illegal because GAM is prevented by law from bargaining collectively because it is a private, non-profit entity, and with a budget that receives more than 65% of its resources from the public sector. Additionally, the competent institutions gave two rulings: one from the Labor Directorate - which ratified on January 8, 2019 the prohibition of collective bargaining, in accordance with what is described in art. 304 paragraph 3 of the Labor Code*-, and another ruling in the same sense from the Supreme Court on December 31, 2018.
"Given this scenario, we make voluntary benefit agreements. It has been a priority for this administration to listen to the concerns of workers, not only in the context of negotiating benefits, but every day in a policy of open doors and working together. In fact, we have added improvements, such as training and analysis of internal processes, outside the framework of negotiations. We hope in this way to start 2019 with a team that increasingly delivers better service to our public," concludes Felipe Mella.