Argentina government orders oilseed workers to suspend strike for 15 days

Argentina’s government ordered two oilseed workers unions to suspend a strike for 15 days on Monday and one union said they would comply with the order.

The strike kicked off last Tuesday and has paralyzed exports from the nation’s top grain ports asworkers demand thatsalaries stay ahead of high inflation.

The San Lorenzo Department Oilseed Workers and Employees Union (SOEA) told Reuters that they had received the government order and would comply with calls for mandatory talks.

“We abide by the reconciliation (talks). Little by little and in an orderly manner we will lift the measure,” said Martin Morales, secretary for SOEA, referring to the strike.

The Federation of Oilseed Industry Workers, the other union on strike, did not immediately reply to a request for comment.

Unions previously said that they had failed to hear from grains producers to negotiate. Morales added that a first meeting was scheduled for Wednesday at 11 a.m. (1400 GMT).

The strike mainly affected terminals located north of Rosario along the Parana River, where more than 80% of Argentina’s agricultural and agro-industrial exports are shipped.

At least three dozen ships were delayed by the strike near Rosario.

Argentina is a major grains producer and is a top exporter of soybean oil and soybean meal.

The farming economy heavily relies on the foreign-exchange funds brought in by grains exports, as the government works to shore up scarce central bank reserves.
Source: Reuters (Reporting by Maximilian Heath; Writing by Kylie Madry. Editing by Sarah Morland and Alexander Villegas)