Conarpesa made workers at its plant in Caleta Olivia redundant. (Photo: Stock File/FIS)

‘Unexpected’ layoffs in Conarpesa plant

ARGENTINA
Friday, June 29, 2012, 23:50 (GMT + 9)

The company Continental Armadores de Pesca SA (Conarpesa), located in Caleta Olivia, in the province of Santa Cruz, began to send telegrams dismissing 89 employees without notice.

Plant workers told reporters that in recent days they have only adhered to the working hours. And reported that the firm maintained its facilities open to "keep the fishing permits and the aid of funds from the National Administration," referring to the Productive Recovery Plan (Repro) received from the Government.

According to María Avilés, who has been a union delegate for a year, workers received wages for adhering to their working hours "but they have not worked and that's not the usual thing," OPI agency reported.

"This has been kept open because they needed to renew the fishing permits and to collect the Productive Recovery Plan, which is a contribution made by the Nation," Aviles explained.

While Darío García, referring to the Association of United Seamen of Santa Cruz, said "the problem is that it has always been a pirate firm," Terra reported.

"Conarpesa should be deprived from its fishing permits by the government and it should be dismissed, since it is a pirate firm. It has only been helpful to political affairs and to usufruct licenses at bargain prices," García claimed.

While the laid-off workers maintain the alertness and mobilization status, there are conflicting accounts of the immediate future of the company.

Meanwhile, the local mayor, José Manuel Córdoba, received the laid off employees to find a solution for their source of income and their future in the industry, reported InfoGlaciar.

"Here in the local plants and in a couple of hake vessels we will consider the alternatives,", he said.

Last April, the Union of Food Industry Workers (STIA) warned that the situation for Patagonian workers was getting worse "by leaps and bounds."

Related article:

- 'Fishing in Patagonia collapses,' warns STIA

By Analia Murias
editorial@fis.com
www.fis.com

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