The president of the CNUS stated that Dominicans are leaders in construction
Taken from Diario Libre
SANTO DOMINGO.– The president of the National Confederation of Trade Union Unity (CNUS), Rafael (Pepe) Abreu, stated this Thursday that the 80/20 quota will not be met until working conditions in the construction industry improve.
Abreu stated that this is the main reason why Dominicans are not entering more of that sector, and not because of the salary, as he asserted that even foreign workers are demanding better pay.
The union leader disagrees with the claim that Dominicans don't like working in the construction sector because they are lazy, when Dominicans are "leaders" in that sector outside the country.
Dominicans are leaders in construction, working on practical matters. Why? Because they find different conditions of safety, wages, and social protection than those they find in this country,” he said.
The Dominican Labor Code establishes that a company or employer must have 80% of its employees Dominican and the rest foreign.
Abreu believes it will be difficult to comply with the Labor Code if working conditions in the construction sector are not improved.
“Construction, without a doubt, is a tough, hard job, one of the hardest,” he said.
He said that Dominicans need and demand certain guarantees in construction that are not being offered.
He believed that the dialogue convened by President Luis Abinader should be used to discuss the issue in the Labor Code.
“But thoroughly, and not with a simple immigration resolution,” he said.
The Government, through the National Migration Council, granted three months for companies or employers to regulate their foreign workers, in compliance with Law 285-04 and its implementing regulation 631-11.
