Buenos Aires, March 9 (NA) -- The Single Union of Argentine Tire Workers (SUTNA) is promoting a bill in the Buenos Aires provincial legislature to declare the production of the FATE tire plant a 'public utility'. This is aimed at ensuring the continuity of the firm and for the provincial government of Buenos Aires to temporarily take it over. The initiative, developed by the union's legal advisors and presented to blocs in the Buenos Aires Chamber of Deputies, aims to have the 'temporary occupation' of FATE declared and to preserve production and jobs. Parliamentary sources told the Argentine News Agency that the goal of the proposal is to prevent the closure of the plant announced by the company and 'to save the jobs of 920 employees', but for this to happen, a law must be passed so that the province of Buenos Aires takes control of the board of directors of the firm that produces tires for buses and trucks. The union warned legislators about the 'social impact' of the closure of that company, as it will not only affect nearly a thousand workers but also other activities in that production chain. SUTNA stated that one alternative is for the province to take over FATE, thus guaranteeing 'the functioning of the logistics system and public transport throughout the country'. The union clarified that the measure of the province taking over the private firm would have a 'transitory' nature and that the company would return to private hands once it presents a plan for the continuity of its operations.
