Riviera Maya, Q.R. — Quintana Roo construction worker union leader says more needs to be done about local mafias. The General Secretary of the Sindicato de Trabajadores de la Construcción says at least 20 workers are affected each month.
General Secretary Ruth Sánchez Palma says they have seen a growing presence of mafias within the construction sector. According to Sánchez Palma, construction sites in Cancun and Playa del Carmen are the most frequented.
She says between 20 and 30 construction site workers each month report having been victims of extortion and intimidation in their workplace. She says these mafias impose mandatory quotas on both workers and construction managers in collusion with supervisors.
She says most workers refuse to make official reports due to fear of retaliation. She also says that those who do file complaints are not taken seriously.
“We’ve gone to the prosecutor’s office but unfortunately they don’t take a statement. The worker goes, files his complaint and they don’t take it into account because they don’t value what he represents.
“We have a law firm to support workers and we often accompany them in filing their complaint. It’s not every day, but there are about 20 or 30 cases a month. It’s quite a lot. It’s a very complicated issue in the construction industry in Quintana Roo,” she explained.
Sánchez Palma says the union represents around 12,000 workers across Quintana Roo. She says the hot spots are concentrated in Cancun and Playa del Carmen where large-scale construction is taking place. She says those large projects facilitate this type of abuse on construction sites.
Sánchez Palma says the union has had to intervene directly, offering legal support and representation to those who decide to file complaints, however, authorities often fail to act with due diligence. She says more needs to be done to protect their labor rights since they are part of a key sector in the economic development of Quintana Roo.
