SINTTIA Denounces Fraenkische for Collective Bargaining Violations

ByToño Cano

This article by Toño Cano originally appeared in the March 26, 2026 edition of La Roncha.

Silao de la Victoria, Guanajuato. The National Union of Automotive Industry Workers (SINTTIA) publicly denounced the German company Fraenkische Industrial Pipes for systematic violations of the Collective Bargaining Agreement.

The conflict escalated after the plant applied unjustified absences to more than 300 employees who were absent on February 23 to protect themselves from a wave of national violence.

The union argued that the safety of the staff was prioritized in the face of arson attacks against public transport, stating in its press release that “given the risk to the safe transport of the employees, it was decided to prioritize their safety and issue a call to take shelter.”

Added to this problem are financial irregularities detected by the workforce, such as excessive payroll deductions under the concept of contributions to the IMSS and anomalies in the savings fund.

Although the Human Resources department described the IMSS charges as a “mistake” and promised to return the excess, the union maintains that these actions represent a serious and systematic impact on family finances, reflecting a lack of preventative and ethical stance on the part of the plant’s management in Silao.

Karina Abundis, leader of the Fraenkische Section of SINTTIA, warned that these actions violate the contractual document and lack bilateralism, so the union is considering filing a labour lawsuit.

This tension arises at a critical moment, as it complicates the scenario for the negotiation of the Collective Bargaining Agreement scheduled for April 7, where the union will seek to compensate for financial damages and guarantee respect for workers’ rights.