Facebook Instagram Twitter YouTube

Latin America

Argentina: strike and roadblocks in access highways to Buenos Aires

As announced yesterday by rank-and-file delegates and left trade unionists, the national strike day began with road blocks at highways and bridges that link surrounding areas to the city.

Left Voice

March 31, 2015
Facebook Twitter Share

Panamericana highway

The roadblock started early this morning, at 5 AM, at Panamericana in front of Lear Corporation.

At the Northern Area in Greater Buenos Aires, militant and left wing unionists and rank-and-file delegates from Lear, Donnelley, Kraft, Pepsico, Stani, Fate and many other factories and companies, alongside with teachers and students, blocked the Panamericana.

At Lear Corporation Factory, militant workers talked to La Izquierda Diario . “This place is where we must be today. This company is a symbol of a tough fight, our fight for reinstallation. That is why former Donnelley’s workers joined us here today”.

Workers of Lear Corporation were joined by Kraft, Procter & Gamble, Alicorp, teachers from SUTEBA Tigre, students’ unions from Philosophy, Sociology and Psichology colleges from Buenos Aires University.

Rubén Matu, Lear workers’ delegate said that, at a meeting last Saturday at Madygraf (former Donnelley), “We decided this action to demand all workers’ rights. Wages are no profit, that is why we reject the workers’ income taxes. Today we are in front of Lear Corporation factory to demand the reinstallation of dismissed workers; and we are demanding also MadyGraf (former Donnelley) expropriation. These three are the main struggles at the Northern Area today, and these are our demands at the national strike.”

About Lear corporation, Matu said: “We know the factory isn’t working as usual, and we don’t think workers will show to work today. Workers have decided to support the strike, the highway is empty, and there are no buses; workers didn’t show to work. Factories are stopped”.

Javier “Poke” Hermosilla, from shop-steward committee at Kraft, said they are at Panamericana supporting the strike and they are blocking the highway because there a lot of demands that need to be taken in account, not only the income tax. “In the food industry, we need a contract update, we need to end with labor precarization, and layoffs. We had assemblies at the factory and we had a vote to join the strike. We even forced, with these meetings, that the general secretary of the trade union join the strike.”

Pueyrredon Bridge

At 6 AM, workers, fighting unions and the Left and Workers’ Front blocked the Pueyrredon Bridge, which links the surrounding southern areas to the city.

Workers from oil company Shell, Calsa and many other factories joined the roadblock. Shell’s workers demand the reinstatement of dismissed workers. Railroad workers also joined the strike, even when union bureaucrats never called an assembly or a simple vote on the strike.

Patricio del Corro, legislator elected from Left and Workers’ Front, said they were supporting the strike alongside “workers from Shell, Calsa and other companies; high school students unions from the Southern area. We are not only rejecting the income tax; we are protesting today because one in three workers in Argentina has no benefits or union rights”.

Yesterday, rank-and-file delegates and left unionists had announced roadblocks. The press conference was held by Claudio Dellecarbonara (Subway), Javier “Poke” Hermosilla (Kraft-Terrabusi), Jorge Medina (former Donnelley), and national deputy Nicolás del Caño and state legislator from Buenos Aires Christian Castillo, both from Left and Workers’ Front, within others.

Actions planned for today:

Greater Buenos Aires

Panamericana, Lear factory
5AM: Shop-steward committees from Mondelez Pacheco (former Kraft) and PepsiCo, rank and file delegates from Mondelez Victoria (former Stani), delegates from teachers’ union from Tigre and Escobar districts, workers from SMATA, dismissed workers from Gestamp, workers from Johnson Controls, Volskwagen, Printpack, Fate, WordColor and General Mills.

Pueyrredón Bridge
6 AM: Workers’ Committee from Shell, Honda and Calsa, airport workers from de Ezeiza, delegates from Coca Cola (Alcorta), railroad workers, teachers and university students’ unions.

La Plata
7 AM: Shipyard Rio Santiago, public workers unions, and university students’ federation.

Rosario
6 AM: Roadblock at Santa Fe Highway, at Liliana factory gates.

Neuquén
11 AM: Roadblock at Cipolletti-Neuquén bridge, Ceramic workers Union, teachers’ unions, and health workers.
There will be roadblocks also in Cordoba, Jujuy, and Tucuman.

Facebook Twitter Share

Left Voice

Militant journalism, revolutionary politics.

Latin America

‘You Have to Change Things from the Root’: Interview With a Young Immigrant

Left Voice interviewed a 23-year-old immigrant, factory worker, and student, who told us about his experience crossing the border from Mexico to the U.S. and about the life of Latin American youth in the United States.

Left Voice

April 5, 2024
A square in Argentina is full of protesters holding red banners

48 Years After the Military Coup, Tens of Thousands in Argentina Take to the Streets Against Denialism and the Far Right

Tens of thousands of people took to the streets across Argentina on March 24 to demand justice for the victims of the state and the military dictatorship of 1976. This year, the annual march had renewed significance, defying the far-right government’s denialism and attacks against the working class and poor.

Madeleine Freeman

March 25, 2024

Declaration: End Imperialist Intervention in Haiti, Solidarity with the Haitian People

The “Multinational Security Support Mission” announced by the United States marks a new imperialist-colonial intervention in Haiti by the United States, the UN, and their allies.

Trotskyist Fraction – Fourth International

March 17, 2024

The Fight against Javier Milei Has Set The Stage For a Whole New Wave of Struggle

The defeat of the Omnibus Law is a key victory for the movement against Javier Milei’s austerity plan and attacks on democratic rights. It shows that the working class and oppressed have the power to fight against the advance of the Far Right in Argentina and across the world.

Tatiana Cozzarelli

February 9, 2024

MOST RECENT

Nancy Fraser, Jacques Rancière, Silvia Federicci and many others say: Stop the Criminalization of Palestine Solidarity in France!

Anasse Kazib, a union activist and former presidential candidate, was recently interrogated by French anti-terrorist police. In this open letter, more than 800 prominent intellectuals and activists call to stand united against the criminalization of Palestine solidarity.

Révolution Permanente

April 26, 2024
Tents on a lawn in front of university buildings

Unite the Encampments Against Repression and for a Free Palestine

Student encampments in solidarity with Gaza are cropping up across the country and are facing intense repression by police acting on behalf of university officials. Defending the occupations requires uniting outrage with these attacks on the right to protest with broad support for Palestine across the student movement and the labor movement.

Left Voice

April 25, 2024
Five masked pro-Palestine protesters hold up a sign that reads "Liberated Zone"

Call for Submissions: Students, Staff, and Faculty Against the Genocide and Against the Repression of Pro-Palestine Movement

Are you a member of the student movement against the genocide in Gaza or a staff member/faculty supporter? We want to publish your thoughts and experiences.

Left Voice

April 25, 2024
Columbia University during the encampment for Palestine in April 2024.

To Defend Palestine and the Right to Protest, We Need the Broadest-Possible Unity

The past week has seen a marked escalation in the repression of the pro-Palestine movement, particularly on university campuses. In the face of these attacks, we needs broad support across all sectors.

Charlotte White

April 25, 2024