The workers union of Chile’s national customs service, ANFACH, held a strike on Tuesday, shutting down the nation’s border inspection points and ports.

According to instructions directed at union members, the strike is to include offices at ports and borders, and members should demonstrate outside custom service facilities. At midnight Wednesday ANFACH was to begin evaluating the reaction of Chile’s service ministry, which is responsible for the customs service, and then decide how to proceed.

ANFACH said the strike is a result of the Chilean government’s failure to comply with promises to improve the working conditions for customs officials. In a separate statement, ANFACH leadership outlined six points of contention with both the sitting and past administrations.

Among the reasons ANFACH has outlined for the strike are “the rampant inefficiency in the modernization of the institution to confront the growing volume of trade Chile," alleged increased tax evasion in international trade, topping US$ 3 billion per year and what it called an increase in illicit trade.

Furthermore ANFACH said that beyond “good intentions,” the current government has not acted on promises from the previous administration that were made after a strike held in January.

“We have made a great effort to reach a reach an agreement through a dialogue, but it has not brought results,” ANFACH President Osvaldo Villablanca said in the statement.

The ANFACH reported on tuesday evening that 85% of its membership had joined the strike and demonstration activities.

The strike is described by the ANFACH as a "warning" but if their concerns are not heard by the government it would become a "permanent movement."

Officials from ANFACH were not immediately available for comment.

Source: www.freshfruitportal.com