Frigorífico Rosario: workers denounce lack of interest in reactivating the plant

The Union of Employees of the Slaughterhouse Rosario (Semar) understands that the company that owns the refrigerator in that city located in Colonia, inactive since the end of September last year, is not making enough effort to resume activity.

As explained to The Observer Javier Martínez, member of Semar, It is likely that in a few days a new extension of the special period of application of unemployment insurance for workers will have to be negotiated.

By the way, he explained that there are many cases in which they receive money that is not ideal, it is not what they get when they work, but it does allow them to cover their needsnevertheless about 40% do not have that possibility, since they receive only $12,000 to $15,000 per month.

This industrial complex, which generated almost 400 jobs (an amount relevant to the communities where these workers live), before the last closure, it had the reinstatement of just 200 officials.

Recently, denouncing this reality, Semar sent an extensive document (see below) to various authorities.

In this work, they detail the process that took place since June 29, 2015 when Frigorífico Rosario (Rondatel SA), which has been operating in the country since 1989, became the property of Chinese capital, until today, indicating when there were announcements of investments, closures for various reasons and reopenings, audits with their results and other procedures, solutions with unemployment insurance, mobilizations and other events.

The industrial complex.

The adventure of the refrigerator

The document, titled “The vicissitudes of the Frigorífico Matadero Rosario”, was sent to the deputies of Colonia: Nicolás Viera, Nibia Reich and Mario Colman. In addition, he will be sent in these hours to four other destinations: the Chinese embassy in Uruguay; the Ministry of Labor and Social Security; the Ministry of Livestock, Agriculture and Fisheries; and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Martínez commented that, from the union, it is appreciated that “something strange exists” in China, headquarters of the capital owners of the company, in relation to those who manage the company.

“We don’t understand how the lack of a solution has lasted for so long, when in other refrigerators, when there were problems, there were audits and they immediately returned to work and exported,” he said.

“We have no proof, we may be wrong, but something strange exists”he said, adding that “what catches our attention is that throughout this process we have not seen enough movement on the part of the company for there to be a way out, what the workers have achieved was forced by us, with mobilizations, going to Montevideo and by the hand that the Foica (Workers’ Federation of the Meat and Allied Industries) gave us”he added.

Martínez, regarding the attitude of the company, said that “at the time it made some movement, but it was shortly after the disqualification, in a hurry and in the wrong place.” The company does show dynamism, he added, when it must operate on the stock market, something that is required from China, but not at other times.

“It draws our attention that these same Chinese capitals manage another refrigerator in Uruguay, Lorsinal, which is working without problems and here we are always with complications,” he added.

“We want to work, we need an open source of work and as soon as possible, continuously, with the highest possible wages for people”he concluded.