Flightdeck EBA Campaign

The Argentine Workers' Center (CTA), through their general secretary in Cordoba, Roberto Bardach, informed that for the first time in 85 years, a union representative election is being held at IBM. The secretary qualified this act as "historic".

Friday, 2010-01-15 On the second block of the post avenue Hipólito Irigoyen, a trascendental act for IT and communication workers happened. The first union representatives election at IBM took place, although not in the IBM building because the company didn't authorize it.

In the sidewalk of the building where IBM offices works, members of the CEPETEL union put a table with everything they needed to complete this democratic event: Ballot boxes, envelopes, and electoral registers were present in a tipical summer day.

Néstor Fernando Gallego y Leonardo Diego Ludueña are the first elected union representatives in the history of IBM Argentina. "It's a new experience for us, and we have the challenge to convince other IBMers of it's importance. Besides, it's healthy to express our will through democratic elections, to be able to defend our rights later", said Ludueña.

The event ended at 17:00hs, and 33 IBMers did vote. "It was a success for us, because IBMers approached to the table and voted. To begin to organize and participate in a union activity is very important, an unprecedent act", said Mario Gonzalez, Cepetel press secretary. "The company tried to divide us, when they are not trying to minimize this act", also said.

Another member of the Cepetel directive committee, Guillermo Acedo, states that "It's an historical act, a milestone, because from now on, the workers will become more enthusiastic and will learn to fight for their rights".

In their website, the company says that in Argentina they possess "8 buildings and 3 global Delivery Centers, from where services are being exported to more than 20 countries in the world". It also states that they have over 7200 employees. The company is a leader on the Outsourcing area all over the world. The presence of a manager witnessing the elections (Maximiliano Rey Goyena) surprised the workers, who nonetheless proceded to vote.

Since the beggining of these elections,  over 170  IBM decided to affiliate to the Cepetel union, and so far 275 had voted in the Martinez, Olivos, Rosario and Cordoba sites. The schedule will go on next days in the Alem and Catalinas buildings.

The workers organization will allow them to outline a collective bargaining scheme for use in the IT sector, Guillermo Acedo told Prensared. This elections were made possible thanks to the recent Supreme court of Justice resolution, allowing any union with a simple inscription to held a union representatives election.