December 2, 2020

Wage strike by Argentine grains inspectors and oilseed workers to end early

A wage strike in Argentina by grains inspectors and oilseed workers, which has shut down grains ports activities, is scheduled to end early on the morning of December 2, according to a spokesman for one of the unions on strike, Reuters reported.

The grain inspectors represented by the Urgara group, and the oilseed workers represented by the Argentine Federation of Oilseed workers, began the strike on the morning of December 1, following weeks of discussions that did not lead to new contracts for the workers.

Juan Carlos Peralta, a spokesman for Urgara, said the union will organise a meeting with its members to establish their position when contract negotiations continue.

The strike closed down a few ports in Rosario, where many Argentine agriculture exports are shipped. Peralta said ships were also stalled in Quequen and Bahia Blanca ports, located south of Buenos Aires.

A spokesman for the Argentine Federation of Oilseed workers said close to all workers from many Argentine oilseed crushing plants joined the strike.

On December 2, the CIARA-CEC chamber of export companies said despite excessive wage demands from the workers, it aims to resume contract talks.

Because of the strike, the Rosario port hub accepted only 1,306 trucks carrying grains between midnight to 7 AM on December 1. This is 45% less compared to the same period one week prior, based on data from the Rosario grains exchange.

- Reuters