From the International Trade Union of Garment,Textile, Leather and Footwear Workers in Latin America and the Caribbean (TUI TEXGAL ALC), we express our solidarity with the SITITEXS (Sinidicato De Trabajadores y Trabajadoras De La Industria Textil De El Salvador) in the face of the atrocities of the company WESTTEX APPARELS A. DE C.V., located in Zona Franca, San Bartolo, Ilopango, Republic of El Salvador.
This company, which produces for the Nexl Level and Old Navy brands, continues to hold an advanced position on the rights of the workers as a whole. According to Victor Cardoza, General Secretary of FENTRAS (Federacion Nacional Sindical De Trabajadores De El Salvador), the company, among other things, does not receive the union permits and what is more, the and, most seriously, suspended more than 200 workers for up to two months without pay. Among these 200 workers are pregnant women and people with chronic illnesses.
Despite a request for intervention by the Salvadoran Ministry of Labor, to date this agency has not been present at the WESTTEX APPAREL S A. factory, much less conducted the pertinent inspections. As part of this drama, we must add to this that the hierarchical personnel, the supervisors and the human resources department (following the company’s directives) threatens with suspensions in the event of requests for leave (of any kind, including medical).
Among the persecuted and violated comrades is comrade Blanca Luz Lopez Ponce, general secretary of SITITEXS, demonstrating the extent of the unconscionable the unbridled “medieval style” actions of the WESTTEX bosses.
International Trade Union of garments, textile, leather and footwear for Latin America and the Caribbean (TUI TEXGAL ALC) express our solidarity with comrade Blanca Ponce, as well as with the 200 fellow workers, we also energetically request to the company WESTTEX APPAREL S A. to abandon its persecutory and violent attitude. From the TUI we also call on sister organizations throughout the continent to condemn these unfair and persecutory practices and demand that the international treaties and conventions that clearly condemn these outrages be respected.
Coordinating Board TUI Texgal
