Chilean fruit exporters express their concern about a strike in Puerto de San Antonio
The Federation
Workers of Costanera Espigón (Fetraportces) began an indefinite strike as a result of the breach of agreements by the concessionaire Puerto Central.
In statements collected by the local media San Antonio leader, Diego Silva, president of Fetraportces, pointed out that the company is not respecting the nominated one and makes differences between the hired workers and the eventual workers, reasons for which they decided to paralyze the Espigón sector.
As a result of the above, Ronald Bown, president of the Association of Fruit Exporters of Chile AG [Asoex] declared in a statement his "concern about the situation that is affecting the Port of San Antonio."
"This occurs at a time when the 7233 Resolution 24 of December 2014 of the National Customs Directorate has just been published, which obliges the companies participating in the national foreign trade to pay a rate equivalent to US $ 0,2 per tonne that is exported or it matters to the country, whose collection will be destined to cancel commitments assumed by the State, fundamentally related to retroactive payments of snacks and pensions to port workers", Indicates the document.
He also stressed that the effort made by the private sector should avoid "highly pernicious effects"That damage exports, especially to the perishable sector.
"The Agreement of last August 12 established the creation of a 'Special Commission' in order to advance the pending issues of the port sector, which has not happened so far. On the other hand, we see with great concern how the concession companies still have labor disputes that have not been adequately resolved, the costs of which, in short, are borne by the users."Says the statement.
In this way, the Association calls on authorities and companies to "assume their responsibility as soon as possible "to avoid conflicts that may again cause serious damage to the country and achieve immediate and permanent solutions" that allow adequate stability to our port sector", Concludes the document.
On the other hand, the president of the Federation of Fruits of Chile (Fedefruta), Juan Carolus Brown, hopes that the workers of Fetraportces comply with what was stated a couple of months ago and do not prevent the shipment of fruit.
"We found it very positive when Fetraportces pointed out in October that they would not impede the shipment of the fruit through the port of San Antonio in case of unemployment, in order not to damage the perishables and our activity in the field. For what was indicated at that time, they were already in talks with the Central Port and Central Wharf to implement these measures", Said the representative of the producers in a statement.
It is worth remembering that in October of 2014, Diego Silva pointed out that: "(...) for the fruit season we have agreed that we will not suspend fruit cargo shipments that leave the premises of our port. As workers we do not want to damage the export of fruit that arrives at the Port of San Antonio".
"Today [Monday 5] Fetraportces celebrates its third day of mobilization and as Fedefruta we hope that the leader Diego Silva fully complies with his commitment made in October not to stop the fruit that is sent through the ports of San Antonio"Declared the president of Fedefruta.
He also added that the fruit export sector took the losses of the 2013 and 2014 strikes, and agreed to pay by means of a tax the commitments of the State and the concessionaires of the port terminals, "just so that situations like those of now would not happen again. We are the ones who are paying the bill, so we appeal to what is committed by all involved", Concluded Juan Carolus Brown.
Source: PortalFrutícola
Photography: FEDEFRUTA
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