Unilever Violates the Rights of Chilean Workers

The National Federation of Trade Unions of Unilever Chile (FENASIUN) with the support of the Unitary Workers' Central (CUT) and the Trade Union Confederation of the Americas (TUCA), accuse British-Dutch corporation Unilever of violationg the rights of Chilean workers through its anti-unionist policies, by failing to provide them with information about the closing down of its factories and by preventing the workers to make the company's decisions public.

Unilever is world leader in the production, distribution and commercialization of food, personal care and cleaning products.

In 2000, the company began a reestructuring process worldwide, including the outsourcing of production, delocalization and flexibilization of work. In 2007, Unilever announced the closing down of 50 factories and the reduction of over 20,000 jobs by 2009.

In Chile the reforms had begun in 1997, when the company acquired and reestructured several factories, closed down six of them, leading to the firing of 2,000 workers and the disappearance of 15 trade union organizations.

When Chile entered the OECD (Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development) as an observer in 2001, the country created the National Contact Point (NCP) as an instrument of local action with regards to the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises. The CUT decided to file the case of Unilever before a local court on June 6th, 2005 and a few days later in Paris, during the OECD's Trade Union Advisory Committee's annual meeting.

The lawsuit argued that several points of the Guidelines were being violated, including giving the workers periodical and true information about the planned changes and trade union freedom. The company was also accused of preventing the workers' right to communicate the company's decision to the public opinion. Also, Unilever told a small group of employees from the affected sections that they would not be fired if they opposed to the actions of the trade union.

The transnational corporation has consistently avoided any attempt to reach an agreement with the National Federation of Trade Unions. At the beginning of 2008, there is an alarming lack of response from the local management of the company to the workers' organizations, the Chilean state and the community. This leaves the workers clueless as to the company's future decisions.

Key issues: Agroalimentation

Denouncing organizations: National Federation of Trade Unions of Unilever Chile (FENASIUN) with the support of the Unitary Workers' Central (CUT) and the Trade Union Confederation of the Americas (TUCA).