Dominican union leaders’ trip to Geneva brews scandal

Santo Domingo.- Just who paid for airfare and accommodations for a large group of union leaders to attend the International Labor Organization’s (ILO) annual conference held in Geneva, Switzerland is the spark for scandal, especially as workers representatives and business leaders continue deadlocked on the percentage for a wage increase.

The government allegedly provided funds for some union leaders to take the trip, reportedly in exchange for getting labor to be “more flexible” on their position demanding a 17% increase and allow the amendment of the Labor Code.

The outlet diarioextra.com reports that the case stems form “years a friction between the two main blocks of unions,” and notes that despite having “very similar positions” on most major issues and challenges facing the labor movement, their actions “jeopardize one another.”

Several labor leaders quoted by elcaribe.com.do sought to evade reporters’ questions about the now controversial trip, which the country’s most respected unionist, Rafael –Pepe- Abreu inexplicably opted to skip.