Oil refinery workers back on strike

After a 24-hour truce in the refinery workers conflict, the union failed to reach an agreement after meeting again with Labour Ministry officials, and decided to call a national strike for an undetermined period of time, union leader Alberto Roberti said.

“The energy companies made a laughable offer, so we’re back on strike,” he said. “They offered a 20 percent hike, to be paid in three different installments, something very different from the 36 percent we’re asking for.” 

Roberti announced a “complete stop of work in refineries and gas plants all over the country,” as he warned that “in order to go back to negotiations, they will not be lifting the strike any time soon.

However, not all refineries’ and gas plants’ worker unions respond to Roberti. The refinery workers’ union has 52,000 members, but in the oil business, union leadership can be quite complex. Therefore companies believe that the strike could be mostly felt in provinces such as Mendoza and Salta, and in refineries.

Yesterday, workers had begun the strike, although thanks to the Labour Ministry, the measure was postponed for 24 hours. 

The strike affected YPF refineries in Luján de Cuyo and La Plata, ESSO refieneries in Campana, Shell refineries in Dock Sud and Petrobras refineries in Bahia Blanca.