The head of the Argentine Union of Rural Workers and Longshoremen (UATRE), José Voytenco, criticized the cease in the commercialization of grains ordered by the Liaison Table, a measure “Out of place and out of time” Since, he pointed out, the sector did not see its operation resented by the pandemic.
“The strike was absurd and unusual”, defined the trade unionist, adding that “we will continue to accompany the government’s measures even if the business sector intends to confront them.”
Voytenco also referred to joint negotiations, recalling that “In August we closed an increase of 32%, which now in January will have a revision once the inflation index for December is known, and there we would be talking about 4 or 5 points more ”. And he added: “Today the average salary in the sector is in the order of $ 32,000 or $ 35,000, below the basic basket. That is why we are aiming for a salary recomposition: there cannot be a salary for a rural worker below $ 50,000. That is our floor to negotiate a new joint ”.
He also mentioned informality in the sector, noting that “it is very high”, since there are “more than 500,000 workers in black. But there is also a great marginality in the commercialization of what is produced in the field ”. And he pointed out: “The control and inspection part has to be handled by the workers’ bloc, because who is going to inspect themselves? The inspections have to be carried out by us, not the employers ”.
On the other hand, the head of Uatre affirmed that he wants the union to recover within the CGT “the space that it always had. It is an important union and we believe that now it is essential to underpin the unity of the labor movement, and the only way to do it is within the framework of the CGT. The kiosks that have been set up outside the CGT are useless, they take away our power and we have much to lose ”.
As for the internal union that exists in the CGT, he expressed that “that is the crack that must be overcome. Moyano and all the comrades who are outside the CGT must be thereIt is useless to leave organizations out. We all have to be under the umbrella of the CGT. Saying “I like Daer” or “I like Moyano” is like you’re making a Boca-River classic and here there are no classics. “
Finally, the union leader referred to the first year of the National Government and said that “the situation is not good, but not because of Alberto Fernández, but because of what we have to live with this global pandemic but with more serious consequences for us, because we are an underdeveloped economy and the post-pandemic effect is going to generate many deep crises ”.
