Chilean Dockworkers Strike in Port of San Antonio
Dockworkers at the Chilean Port of San Antonio began an indefinite workers' strike last Friday, according to El Martutino.
The strike is the result of a collaborative decision made by several unions in the area. The action is meant to draw attention to the workers' grievances. The main issue is that workers are demanding retroactive payment for half hour lunch breaks, said the President of the San Antonio Port Workers Front, Sergio Vargas. This issue has remained unresolved since last November, when unions sent a letter to the Ministry of Labor requesting a hearing to review the issue.
A "warning" strike occurred on the December 19th, when workers from several unions walked off the job for a single shift.
At 3PM on Friday, January 3rd, an indefinite strike of the stevedores began. The decision was said to be a direct response to the government's lack of political will to meet with the public sector workers' groups to resolve the conflict, due to constant postponements of these meetings.
Stay tuned to AndNowUKnow as we continue coverage on the strikes in Chile.
El Martutino
