Spanish
Eddy Olivares assured that labor inspections will be increasingly effective in guaranteeing the health and safety of workers
By Franiel Genao
Santo Domingo.- The Minister of Labor, Eddy Olivares, presented 61 warning records issued during an inspection operation carried out in 9 companies in the municipality of San Antonio de Guerra, while pointing out that the safety and health of workers is enshrined in the Constitution of the Republic and the Labor Code and its regulations.
Specifically, most companies violate article 135 of the labor code regarding the nationalization of labor 80-20, as they operate with workers of Chinese and Haitian nationality.
“Our inspectors detected a large number of violations of Regulation 522-06, Resolution 04-07 and the Labor Code in these 9 companies, and we are proceeding to follow up so that they effectively comply with occupational safety standards and guarantee a work environment that does not put workers at risk,” he added.
Olivares recalled that the Ministry of Labor is the highest administrative authority in all matters related to maintaining normalcy in production activities in the Dominican Republic, a role it exercises through labor inspection, an agency that has the legal authority to enter any company or establishment.
The Minister of Labor maintained that this type of operation will continue throughout the national territory. In that order, he presented the new Director of Inspection of the Ministry of Labor, the lawyer and Major General (r), Yuri Ruiz Villalona, who was the director of investigation of the National Police.
Inspection Operation
The coordinator of the Inspection operation, Nicaury De la Cruz, presented the findings recorded in the aforementioned records, as well as a video and photographs of the surveys of last May 8 in the mentioned companies, which are installed in the Riosur industrial park.
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“After issuing warnings, the strict application of the law will proceed,” said the inspector.
The companies visited were Renova Center (Warehouse) and Renova Center SRL (SuplaxRD); Mundo Comercial H&L/SRL (IngcoRD); Endiam Import SRL; Sonsoles Aceros SRL; Fábrica Hong Fu SRL; Fábrica Super Mix SRL (Mi Casita); Lida Tubos de Aceros SRL; Y&Z Plásticos SRL and Grupo Power Plastic SRL.
Other violations found are those related to minimum wages, overtime, weekly rest, failure to pay vacation salary, not enjoying vacations and excessive working hours.
The coordinator of the operation stated that, upon arriving at the industrial park, they heard alarms sounding and saw many workers leaving their work areas and heading towards the perimeter fence of the complex.
The Minister of Labor said that preparations are being made to equip inspectors with cameras and state-of-the-art equipment to make labor inspections more efficient and transparent.
The meeting with the media was attended by the Director of Inspection, Yuri Ruiz Villalona; the Director of Hygiene and Industrial Safety, Guillermo Villamán; the advisor on Labor and Inspection, Juan Ramón Ventura; as well as analysts and inspectors from the Ministry of Labor.
