Dock strikes spread in Latin America

The Bulletin

After the strike in Panama by workers of Panama Ports Company (PPC), demanding higher wages, in Latin America there have been two more strikes in the maritime sector. In Argentina, dock workers demanded higher wages while in Nicaragua, truckers have been on strike demanding new tariffs because of the price of fuel.

Argentina

Following discussions with the Government to push for wage bargaining, workers of the main food exporting port of Argentina lifted a partial strike. This led to long delays for cargo ships.

Later, the Ministry of Labor issued the order to suspend the industrial action so that workers and firms could talk; prompting the unions to end the strike without the participation of the biggest trade union of the region. The General Confederation of Labor (CGT) in the town of San Lorenzo in the province of Santa Fe, suspended for 48 hours a strike due to start at midnight, but some unions decided to go ahead with the protest.

After the Government Order, the CGT in San Lorenzo decided at a meeting not to launch a strike as planned after initial postponement of the measure.

Petitions

Wage claims are common at this time of year in Argentina, one of the main exporters of grains and derivatives, with inflation around 20% per year that caused heated debates between unions and companies.

The town of San Lorenzo is located in the northern agricultural business center of Rosario, one of the largest in the world, which has plants, ports and companies such as Louis Dreyfus, Bunge, Cargill and Glencore.

Nicaragua

The strike has caused serious problems for the local economy and cost the country millions of dollars in losses. The shipping lines requested freight carriers to suspend their strike which they maintained for six days to demand an increase in their rates and negotiate a solution to the conflict.

Carriers are demanding an increase of the current rate of $1.10 per kilometer to $1.30. This is an adjustment of 0.20 cents needed to meet the high cost of fuel.