In October 2000, a preliminary agreement guaranteeing the payment of unpaid wages and the maintenance of jobs was reached between the management and workers' committee of Sintel, the beleaguered Spanish telephone installation company.
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In October 2000, a preliminary agreement guaranteeing the payment of unpaid wages and the maintenance of jobs was reached between the management and workers' committee of Sintel, the beleaguered Spanish telephone installation company.
The telephone installation company Sintel, a former subsidiary of Telefónica, has been involved in a serious industrial dispute since February 2000, with four months' unpaid wages and threats of redundancies and suspension of payments. The conflict directly affects the firm's 2,000 workers, plus the 3,000 workers of its subsidiaries, and 3,000 who work in subcontracted companies. In mid-September 2000, the situation had become so serious that the government agreed to intervene in the dispute and create a tripartite bargaining commission to seek a negotiated solution, as the trade unions demanded. The commission's aim was to debate an industrial plan that guaranteed jobs and the future of this company, which is in financial difficulties (ES0010118F).
However, the Sintel workers' committee and workforce demanded payment of the four months' unpaid wages as an essential condition for starting the negotiations. To support their demand, they organised many mobilisations and stoppages in October.
As consequence of these pressures, the situation at Sintel may be moving towards a solution. The management of the company finally agreed to negotiate with the workers' committee, and on 21 October a preliminary agreement was reached on three points:
wages. The company has agreed in writing to pay two months' upaid wages on 24 October and the other two on 17 November;
maintenance of jobs. The company has agreed to take no action leading to redundancy procedures; and
tripartite commission. The management and the workers' committee have agreed to set up a tripartite commission to draw up a plan for the future of the company.
The Sintel workforce ratified this preliminary agreement almost unanimously (with 97% in favour) at mass meetings held on 23 and 24 October.
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Eurofound (2000), Preliminary agreement reached at Sintel, article.
