The visit by the deputy Miguel Bonsasso, from the Democratic Revolution Party (PRD) and his undertaking to pass on the workers’ demands to the Argentinian president, Néstor Kirchner, contributed to lowering the tension to the extent that the protest was suspended last Friday. The “Corrientes Eight” began a hunger strike on 30 August to demand their reinstatement in the company Chaco S. A., from which they were sacked after complaining about their terrible working conditions.
Despite the hunger strike being suspended, the workers are still in their improvised camp in the Plaza 25 de Mayo in Corrientes, opposite the Ministry of Public Works building. Their message is clear: the protests will go on until the eight trade unionists who were dismissed with impunity get their jobs back.
The International Dockworkers Council (IDC), which represents more than 50, 000 dockworkers from all over the world, has expressed its wholehearted support for the Corrientes workers, and has stated that only their reinstatement can end a conflict that has gone on far too long already. The “Corrientes Eight” complained of the hard working conditions in the port of Corrientes and by way of an answer received the sack. Since then, Juan Manuel Rosas - the owner of Chaco, S. A. - has refused to talk to them or to accept their complaints, which are especially concerned with health and safety conditions at work. The General Ports Office (AGP) and the Director of the Port of Corrientes have been complicit in this process, by not taking any action to make him comply with the law in force. Their lack of support for the workers has given Rosas carte blanche to act with absolute impunity. The IDC can no nothing else but condemn this appalling scenario and remind both the Argentinian port authorities and the company working in Corrientes that the dockworkers’ international union will support all measures taken by the workers in defence of their legitimate rights.
