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Chile: worker dies at her job after suffering 3 years of workplace harassment
Mónica Vásquez suffered a sudden heart attack after being verbally assaulted by her supervisor
The Unitary Central of Chilean Workers denounced the death of a supermarket worker during her working hours after suffering mistreatment and harassment for three years.
Karen González, National Counselor of the CUT, stated that Vásquez had suffered workplace harassment for three years. He indicated that the pertinent lawsuits and codes of ethics have been filed against the chief cashier, but they did not obtain answers.
González added that the Labor Inspectorate could not corroborate the harassment, since the other workers feared losing their jobs because the supervisor threatened to fire them.
Vásquez had a medical certificate that indicated that she had problems with her legs, for which she needed to work in a box since she is sitting down in that job. She stressed that her boss forced her to work standing up.
Vásquez would have asked his co-workers for help, but at three in the afternoon on Thursday he suffered a sudden heart attack, dying at his job.
During the month of January, Vásquez would have worked 17 days, of which 14 were at the self-service checkout counters. When he asked his supervisor to respect his certificate, he ignored it.
Ronzales added that on the day of her death, Vásquez was yelled at and verbally abused. Her supervisor returned every so often to offend her, even in front of clients.
The leader of the Coordinating Confederation of Commerce and Financial Services Unions (CSC-SFI) pointed out that all of Vásquez's co-workers have been very affected. The place would only have closed for that day.
The CUT initiated a legal process where it required the company Lider Express Bellavista de Concepción to take the pertinent measures against the "responsible for the death of Vásquez" (the cashier) and the administrator of the commercial premises.
