The Federation of Fruit Producers of Rio Negro and Neuquen presented a request to the Secretary of Labor of the Nation not to approve the 42% salary increase for harvesters of pears and apples which was signed by the Argentine Union of Rural Workers and Stevedores (UATRE) and the Argentine Chamber of Integrated Fruit Growers (CAFI). This was stated by the president of the entity Sebastian Hernandez.
As reported by the UATRE, the new scale includes an 42% increase in all categories and establishes the minimum monthly salary of the person in charge at $ 31,605.34 and of the foreman at $ 30,456.07. On the other hand, a tractor drivers' wages would now be $1,223.88 and the harvesters' wage $1,100.72 per day. It should be noted that 10% will be granted for attendance, 12% for permanence and there would be a recognition of performance.
According to Hernandez, the wage agreement is arbitrary and excessive and if it is implemented "many producers would have to quit the activity. The entrepreneurs ended up signing something that negatively impacts producers. At present, producers are earning only 50% of what it costs to produce the fruit for the fruit they market and that reaches consumers," he said.
"We do not ignore last year's inflation and that was the basis of the claim of the union, but the producers are not to blame for the inflation. The inflation was generated by the State and that is why it must take responsibility for this situation. Our federation proposes a dialogue with the National Government and the provinces to find an solution to the union's proposal, in which neither party is harmed," said Hernandez.
"We have the feeling that the businessmen's procedure seeks to exterminate small and medium producers and monopolize all the fruit activity in four or five hands that represent the exporting entrepreneurs, so that once the small producers disappear they can continue with the business," Hernandez added.
Source: infobae.com
