Grupo Pellas: ANAIRC proposes to silence sensible voices of unions that reject Boycott to Flor de Caña

The Nicaraguan Association of Persons Affected by Chronic Kidney Failure (ANAIRC), in its unfounded campaign against Nicaragua Sugar Estates Limited that seeks to associate chronic kidney failure to the company’s economic activity, has publicly proposed to silence not only the company’s arguments, but also the sensible voices of the unions that have expressed through the pages of Indymedia and Bellaciao their rejection of the boycott against Flor de Caña and Grupo Pellas.

This proposal, redolent of a totalitarian mentality, evidences the despair of an organization that does not cease to lie, even inventing non-existent death figures that have not been confirmed by the country’s authorities and are not based on any serious study by any national institution.

To justify their unlawful enrichment claims through blackmail, which are affecting the labor stability of the workers more than the Grupo Pellas companies, ANAIRC has resorted to slander, putting at risk the well-being of thousands of families to whom NSEL and Compañía Licorera guarantee work, development for their communities and multiple benefits through the social responsibility policies promoted by these companies.

Faced by this unjustified attitude of ANAIRC, more than 2,000 workers of Ingenio San Antonio and Compañía Licorera de Nicaragua came to Managua on May 29 to express their support to these two companies.

At the front of the workers marched the main leaders of all the unions that exist in the Ingenio San Antonio and Compañía Licorera, as well as national leaders of trade union confederations: Roberto González, Sandinista Workers´ Confederation (CST), José Espinoza Navas, Confederation of Union Unification (CUS), and Carlos Martinez, Autonomous Confederation of Union Unification.

In the press releases issued by these organizations, they not only emphasize that the accusations against Nicaragua Sugar Estates Limited are completely unfounded, but also reject the doubts voiced against the role played by these unions in defense of the rights of the affiliated workers.

"We are surprised by the slanders uttered against freedom of association in the Ingenio and Licorera because, in case you don’t know, five unions exist in the Ingenio San Antonio that are duly constituted before the Ministry of Labor and we are all signatories of the current collective agreement, which stipulates the benefits that this company grants us workers, not as of this year, but ever since this company was founded in 1890", noted on its part the “Faustino Martinez” Ingenio San Antonio Workers Union. “Ingenio San Antonio is actually the economic lung through which our city breathes. From this sugar mill derive the great socioeconomic improvements that have been obtained, which is why we declare with much honor that the campaign launched by organizations like IUTA, ANAIR and the FLOR DE CAÑA rum boycott group is hasty because it seeks to leave aside the conquests achieved, putting at risk scholarships, professional technicians, food supplies, healthcare and, in a nutshell, progress in Chichigalpa", expressed the Ingenio San Antonio Democratic Workers’ Union.

The pro-Sandinista “Ronald Altamirano” Revolutionary Workers’ Union, also joined the unions’ rejection of this defamatory campaign against NSEL: "Gentlemen of IUTA and ANAIRC, before you make false accusations, we invite you to know more in depth about the social vindications we have achieved, such as a hospital for us workers and our family nucleus ―a unique experience in Latin America―, a school for our children, who later receive scholarships for university studies, and many other benefits embodied in our collective agreement", indicates the communiqué of the Ronald Altamirano Union.

For the purpose of making known the truth about these issues, Nicaragua Sugar created a website titled "Nicaragua Sugar Estates Limited and Chronic Kidney Failure". The address is www.laverdadnsel.com.

Further, the official website of Nicaragua Sugar contains abundant information about the company’s productive and social responsibility practices. The address is www.nicaraguasugar.com.

Other links of interest:
http://www.youtube.com/grupopellas


http://grupopellas.wordpress.com

http://nicaraguasugarirc.wordpress.com/

http://carlospellasirc.wordpress.com/

http://laverdadchichigalpa.wordpress.com

http://boicotflordecana.wordpress.com/

http://boicotgrupopellas.blogspot.com/

http://www.youtube.com/grupopellas

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flor_de_Caña

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carlos_Pellas_Chamorro