Argentine port strike paralyzes the country’s grain exports

On Monday, September 28, a strike paralyzed grain exports from Argentina. The union that represents port workers in the country has not been able to reach a collective labor agreement with the business chamber that represents the owners of private terminals.

“We will not renounce our demand for improvements in purchasing power and we will insist on reducing the workday, something we have been requesting for a long time, and in a sector that is experiencing a record year of exports”, stated the Union of Grain Receivers and Annexes of the Argentine Republic (URGARA).  In turn, the Chamber of Private Commercial Ports (CPPC), which represents port companies, called the strike “illegitimate and unfounded”.

According to the Argentine newspaper “La Nacion”, the negotiation between the parties should have taken place on August 27, but it has already been extended twice and has not yet been resolved.  Martín Brindici, general manager of CPPC, added: “The union announced a 24-hour strike because it intends to reduce the eight-hour workday to six hours for no reason. When Argentines are all looking for jobs, here we have leaders who go on strike looking to work less ”.

Argentina leads the world in soybean meal exports and ranks third in shipments of corn and soybeans.

Source: Valor Econômico

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