The Workers' and Employees' Union of Oil Workers of San Lorenzo and the Federation of Workers of the Oilseed Industrial Complex, Cotton Ginners, and Related Workers of the Argentine Republic have issued a warning about possible measures of force. Both unions have stated that if illegal actions by various companies in the sector persist, they will be forced to call a national strike to defend the labor rights acquired over years of struggle.
In a statement, the union alerted about what it described as a "serious and illegal infringement" of workers' rights, mentioning discriminatory layoffs, breaches of collective labor agreements, parity agreements, and delays in salary payments. It was mentioned that some workers were discriminated against in their dismissals for demanding payment of their salaries according to the law.
It was also reported that this situation is accompanied by the militarization of plants where employees have been laid off, in a context that includes the opening of a Preventive Crisis Procedure. One notable case was that of the company Dánica in Llavallol, province of Buenos Aires, where the closure of the plant and the layoff of all workers was decided, although part of the workforce managed to reopen the packaging sector after resisting voluntary withdrawal.
These conflicts add to previous labor disputes, such as the one ongoing in Bahía Blanca with Viterra (now owned by Bunge), where labor rights are systematically denied. The situation has worsened with the participation of the National Prefecture in conflict resolution actions and dismissals of striking workers.
In light of all this, oil unions and their workers have expressed their decision to initiate a national strike if violations of their labor rights continue. The organizations hold the companies in the sector and the national government responsible for the consequences of these actions, which they consider an attack on the integrity of workers and the freedom to strike, while criticizing the reduction of withholdings to employers by the Ministry of Economy.
In a context where there is a perceived trend to use security forces as tools for resolving labor conflicts, examples of bad practices by some companies were cited, such as unjustified dismissals at Explora SA of Puerto San Martín and the refusal to pay bonuses at Vicentín and Renopack, which led to protests by the workers.
