As a result of national and international pressure, six workers who were sacked and two who that resigned from the Istmo Textil plant in Masaya, Nicaragua in April, shortly after forming a union, have been reinstated.

According to International Textile, Garment and Leather Workers’ Federation (ITGLWF) general secretary Neil Kearney, the federation and its affiliate Federación Nacional de Sindicatos Textil, Vestuario, Piel y Calzado made contact with the Korean head company Singsung Tongsang, and sought the involvement of the plant’s clients, Gap Inc., Wal-Mart and Target. Other rights’ groups also pushed for a resolution.

The ITGLWF also threatened to lodge a formal complaint against the Nicaraguan Labour Ministry, which did not appear to be adhering to regulations for registering the union.

The company reached an agreement with the federation on July 26 for the reinstatement, with back pay, of the six dismissed union leaders and the rehiring of two leaders who had resigned.

Mr Kearney said, “The ITGLWF will continue to monitor the situation to ensure that good industrial relations are maintained for the benefit of all concerned.”

The International Textile, Garment and Leather Workers’ Federation is a global union federation bringing together 220 affiliated organisations in 110 countries with a combined membership of 10 million workers.