The heads of each department were in charge of verbally notifying the employees that their positions were ending due to the lack of funding and that they could no longer be paid.
One of the former employees confirmed to Radio YSUCA that several people were dismissed from different units of the Press Secretary’s Office, such as the photography, multimedia, specialist desk, and other areas.
On social media, it is reported that between 70 and 150 people were dismissed. However, the source consulted by YSUCA is still determining the exact number. They did confirm that in some areas, almost 50% of the total workers were dismissed.
Many of the dismissed had a “contract” for professional services. However, such a contract was verbal, as many still needed to sign documents, and everything was agreed upon without any written agreements, which meant that, legally, the positions did not exist.
The employees did not contribute to Social Security or the Pension Fund. Several paid for both benefits out of their own pockets. The source said they worked on holidays in groups, but there were no compensatory days, let alone overtime pay.
They have been informed that they will be called for the pending payment at the end of the month. However, they will not be compensated.
The former employee confirmed to YSUCA that at the Press Secretary’s Office of the Presidency, many employees’ salaries are paid with funds from various state institutions such as the Government, ANDA, and others. The institutions pay the paycheck, but the employees provide their services to the Presidential House, said the source.
According to anonymous sources, the Presidential House requested communications personnel from different state institutions, but the salaries are still paid from the institutions where the communicator is contracted. This means that the work they were doing must be taken on by the rest of the staff, who already have a significant workload.
Casa Presidencial vulnera derechos laborales a periodistas y comunicadores, según denuncia de empleados despedidos
Las jefaturas de cada área se encargaron de notificar de manera verbal a los empleados que sus plazas terminaban, debido a que se acabó el financiamiento y ya no pueden seguir pagando.
Uno de los exempleados confirmó a Radio YSUCA que son varios los despedidos de las distintas unidades de la Secretaría de Prensa como por ejemplo del área de fotografía, multimedia, la mesa de especialistas, entre otras áreas.
En redes sociales se habla de entre 70 y 150 despedidos. Sin embargo, la fuente consultada por YSUCA no tiene certeza de la cantidad exacta. Aunque sí confirmó que en algunas áreas ha sido casi el 50% del total de trabajadores los despedidos.
Muchos de los despedidos tenían un “contrato” por servicios profesionales. Pero dicho contrato era verbal, ya que muchos no firmaron ningún documento, todo era consensuado sin documentos de por medio, por lo que legalmente, las plazas no existían.
Los empleados no cotizaban ni al Seguro Social ni a la AFP. Varios pagaban de su dinero ambas prestaciones. Los días feriados los trabajaban por grupos, pero no había días compensatorios, mucho menos pago de horas extras, dijo la fuente.
Les han comunicado que los llamarán a final del mes para el pago pendiente. Sin embargo, no serán indemnizados.
El exempleado confirmó a YSUCA que en la Secretaría de Prensa de la Presidencia el salario de muchos empleados es pagado con fondos de varias instituciones del Estado como Gobernación, ANDA entre otras. Las instituciones pagan el salario, pero los empleados prestan sus servicios a la Casa Presidencial, dijo la fuente.
Según fuentes que solicitaron el anonimato, desde Casa Presidencial se solicitaba personal de comunicaciones a diferentes instituciones del Estado, pero los salarios siguen pagándose desde las instituciones donde está contratado el comunicador, lo que significa que el trabajo que éste realizaba, debe ser asumido por el resto del personal que ya tiene una carga laboral importante.