If we let them fire the union leaders, we won't have any protection. The protest stems from eight months of attempted negotiations for a salary increase. Chentex is part of a Taiwanese consortium of maquilas in the free trade zone, all of which received a salary increase in March. However, Chentex workers said that their increase was insubstantial. Union representatives say they tried multiple times to negotiate with the management, asking for mediation from the Ministry of Labor, but were unsuccessful.
Management claims that financial difficulties make another salary increase impossible.
Workers and management met during the week of April 24 at the Nicaraguan Ministry of Labor, where workers again asked for a salary increase. They stated that they warned the Ministry of Labor and management of their plans to strike if they did not receive a response by May 2. Management responded by threatening to close an entire production line. Management then applied to the Ministry of Labor for permission to fire the 9 union officers for the CST union. This proposed action has not yet been approved.