Chilean port workers strike over lack of labor reform consultation
Workers across a range of sectors in Chile have gone on a warning strike today, urging the government to change parts of the labor forms that are before Congress. 
The Chilean Port Union, the Confederation of Copper Workers, the National Construction Syndicate and the Federation of Forestry Workers are the main participants, along with some unions in the trade and services sectors.
San Antonio Terminal Internacional (STI) Workers' Federation president Eduardo Araya told www.freshfruitportal.com activity at the key fruit-exporting port of San Antonio was paralyzed.
"This is exclusively for labor reform. All the ports of Chile are paralyzed, as well as the mines, a large part of construction, the forestry area, and other organizations that are a bit smaller," Araya said.
He emphasized the country's workers were not opposed to labor reform, but had problems with "some points".
"The workers need labor reform and we have been asking for it for years, but we do not agree with some articles where organizations and workers' rights are included," he said.
Website Biobiochile.cl reported that among the changes, the unions aimed to incorporate inter-company collective bargaining negotiations, establish minimum consumer price index (CPI) floors, correct the functioning of minimal services during strikes and eliminate labor adaptability pacts.
"We asked to participate before it went to Congress, the Chamber of Deputies, but they haven't given us a possibility before it enters, not just in the port sector but in mining and all sectors," Araya told www.freshfruitportal.com.
"Then, when we had it [the possibility], a study was done and all the issues that were bad were found, mention was made and it was delivered to the Chamber of Deputies' Commission of Work. And that's as far as we got."
Araya said the unions decided to strike for a 24-hour period as their comments were not taken into account, but tomorrow everything will be back to normal with a hope that the government takes stock of the gravity of the workers' demands.
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