UNI Global Union files OECD Guidelines complaint against Prosegur over alleged failure to address workers' rights abuses in Colombia, Peru & India
On January 13 2017, UNI filed a new Specific Instance against Prosegur with the NCP of Spain. In this new Specific Instance, UNI alleges that Prosegur has not resolved 'the problems which were identified in our initial filing (November 2013) – human rights violations in Brazil, Colombia, Paraguay and Peru. Unfortunately, Prosegur has been unwilling to mediate these issues with UNI, even when requested to do so by the Spanish NCP.'
UNI acknowledges that 'many of the specific issues concerning Colombia were addressed in an October 2015 collective agreement settlement between the Colombian union, SINTRAVALORES, and Prosegur.' But it states that 'the company’s underlying hostility toward unions and willingness to violate the human rights of workers has not ceased. In Colombia and Peru, our affiliates allege ongoing cases of harassment, retaliation, threats and assaults against union activists which they believe are condoned, if not instigated, by the company in some cases. Furthermore, the company’s disregard for the rule of law, as seen in India, where their employees are not represented by a union, is nothing short of deplorable.'
Business & Human Rights Resource Centre invited Prosegur to respond to the allegations in the Specific Instance. The company provided a response but it does not specifically address the issues in Colombia, Peru or India. It says that as in a recent decision by a Court in Paraguay, where the company was absolved, UNI Global Union uses “…an approach [that] does not correspond to the necessary distinction between the lack of an agreement on particular issues between company and workers […] and essential violations to labour rights contained in the Guidelines…”.