A group of casual port workers from Valparaíso again blocked vehicular traffic on streets of the port city with burning barricades. This is a new pressure measure within the framework of the negotiation process with the company Report, linked to the Valparaíso Port Terminal (TPV).
Before 9:00 a.m. on Tuesday, October 7, the presence of people occupying all lanes of Avenida Errázuriz and Blanco between Plaza Sotomayor and Plaza Aduana was reported, which disabled the flow of transport means on both roadways, according to TransporteInforma Región de Valparaíso.
However, around 9:15, the information channel linked to the Ministry of Transport and Telecommunications indicated that “vehicular traffic is enabled on Avenida Errázuriz between Sotomayor and Aduana in both directions with one lane per direction. Calle Blanco remains disabled between Sotomayor and Aduana. Cochrane enabled along its entire length.”
A police presence is reported at the location with the aim of dispersing the demonstration and clearing the circulation routes. No incidents between port workers and Carabineros were reported.
Since October 1 to date, TPV has maintained its operations suspended due to the stoppage by the Valparaíso Stevedores Union and the Valparaíso Bay Employees Union. During the day of Friday the 3rd, an agreement was reached between the company and the leaders, but on Saturday the 4th the workers rejected the proposal.
It is worth mentioning that the port workers emphasize achieving job stability, health benefits, respect for DS 594, reinstating dismissed colleagues, among other points. This is within the framework of the process of renegotiating a new Job Position Provision Agreement.
For its part, TPV communicated that it keeps its doors open and its willingness to dialogue. The company has remained in contact with the union leaders, seeking paths and solutions that allow the port workers to reconsider the proposal and resume the normality of work inside Terminal No. 2 of the Port of Valparaíso.
