The federation states that what happened in Concepción del Uruguay is not an isolated incident, but part of a broader policy of austerity, labor precariousness, and criminalization of protest. Hours after the repression, the Entre Ríos Provincial Secretariat of Labor ordered mandatory conciliation for a period of fifteen days and convened a dialogue session. For the workers, the operation had the sole objective of disciplining the protest and guaranteeing business interests. In parallel, various union organizations and union media denounced a supposed network of complicity between the company Urcel SA, sectors of the Entre Ríos Judiciary, and the Argentine Maritime, Port and Naval Industry Federation (FeMPINRA). The protest, led by the United Argentine Dockers Union (SUPA), demanded union recognition, an end to labor precariousness, and the cessation of business maneuvers that, they denounce, seek to make work precarious and displace local labor. The conflict erupted after Urcel Argentina SA refused to recognize the union authorities elected by the workers themselves and proceeded with the incorporation of external personnel, to the detriment of the dockers in the area. The Argentine Dockers Federation (FEPA), which brings together unions from across the country, declared a state of alert and warned of the possibility of a national strike if repression and the disregard for union rights in the Entre Ríos port continue. According to these complaints, the intervening prosecutor would have acted in tune with the employers to enable repressive action and discredit the union claim, while the federation maintained a passive or even complicit stance, despite it being a direct attack on the grassroots organization. Repression against dockers' strike in the port of Concepción del UruguayThe provincial government ordered a repressive operation with tear gas and rubber bullets that left several workers injured. The conflict raised national alarms. A new escalation of repression against protesting workers took place this Monday in the Entre Ríos city of Concepción del Uruguay. The state's response was a repressive operation with rubber bullets and tear gas, which left injured and detained people, according to the workers' own complaints. From the union, they pointed out that the repression occurred despite the fact that the protest was carried out in an organized manner and in defense of basic labor rights. Faced with this situation, SUPA decided to initiate a strike with a blockade of the accesses to the port. This time, provincial and federal security forces repressed dockers who were carrying out a strike in the local port. However, from SUPA they emphasized that the measure comes after the violence and does not offer real guarantees that the persecution of union members or the company's refusal to recognize the union will be reversed. Videos and records disseminated by the dockers show police action and reinforce the complaints of unjustified violence. Meanwhile, workers will have to suspend the strike measures while negotiations continue in a context marked by repression and uncertainty.
