Union corruption: Jorge Bermúdez embezzled union funds

The board of directors of the Uruguayan Health Federation (FUS), the private health union, decided in a vote on several measures that directly affect two historic union leaders. The decision was made after a heated debate where there were accusations of "corruption," "hand in the till," and "stealing from the workers" regarding the union's money. The meeting was held after information became known that the money contributed by mutual societies to the Training Fund was being deposited into personal accounts of the Communist Party union leader, Jorge "Fogata" Bermúdez. Currently, Bermúdez is the Training Secretary of FUS, and for many years he was its General Secretary. That is, its main leader. The situation was reported by Marcos Franco, the current General Secretary of FUS.

The resolution also affects union leader Héctor dos Santos, whose personal account also received the money.

Serious irregularities

The communist union leader Bermúdez received money belonging to the union in his personal bank account. That is, money from FUS members. The money, instead of being deposited in an account in the name of FUS, was received directly by Jorge Bermúdez, which is totally irregular. This Thursday the 31st, Bermúdez acknowledged to the Telenoche 4 news program that he did indeed receive the money in his personal account.

Bermúdez's luxuries

The current FUS board of directors indicated that Bermúdez has been enjoying union leave for many years, for which he collects his salary without fulfilling his work obligations. He is an employee of a mutual society but never goes to work.

The communist union leader relies on Law 17.940 to be permanently on union leave and never go to his workplace. In addition, it has emerged that Bermúdez has a luxurious car at his disposal, with a driver included. At the FUS office at Luis Sambucetti 2685, he has a spacious personal office with air conditioning and comfortable armchairs. All financed with union money. Meanwhile, in the private health sector there are workers who can't make ends meet, Bermúdez enjoys a car with a driver. All financed with money from private health employees. Jorge Bermúdez is an eternal union bureaucrat. He has led FUS with an iron fist for more than 25 years and doesn't allow any kind of dissent. He was recently dethroned from the leadership of FUS, and now his multiple irregularities are coming to light. He has also been one of the union bureaucrats who has been part of the leadership bodies of the Frente Amplio union center PIT-CNT.

Communist union corruption

This entire scandal adds to another case of union corruption, such as the one that occurred in Sunca, where there was a mega fraud of 1,200,000 dollars.

The perpetrators of the mega fraud were also Communist Party union leaders. There is an ongoing criminal investigation led by prosecutor Gilberto Rodríguez, and several communist union leaders have already been criminally convicted for appropriating workers' money. A thorough investigation is needed, and Bermúdez must return what he took. The money belongs to the workers, not to union bureaucrats who take advantage of their position to enrich themselves.