Waked workers plan US embassy protest

WHILE  workers at the Colon FreeZone HQ of the Waked Group, some with over  15 years service, plan to demonstrated  at the US Embassy, are Minister of Labor Luis Ernesto Carles said today that the government will do anything it can to help employees of the Waked Group in Colón after the companies were placed on the Clinton list.

Carles said that the immediate efforts are focused on ensuring the company can meet its next payroll.

“We are going to ensure that entrepreneurs who are interested in investing in these companies will make their first priority the hiring of  these workers,” said the minister, who said that he is also meeting with banks to ensure workers are protected.

Carles said that he will meet with employees again next week to provide them with an update.

According to figures from the ministry, to date 290 Waked employees  plus over 429   La Riviera staff have been fired since the companies owned by the family were placed on the Clinton list by the U.S. Treasury Department due to their ties to drug trafficking.

Sara Lee Hotman, one of the spokespersons for the workers, said that this process has been very painful, especially for those with more than 15 years working for the company.