The president of the Federation of Copper Workers (FTC), Amador Pantojaprovided details on the stoppage of workers of the National Copper Corporation (Codelco) -which will begin this Wednesday- after the board approved moving towards the closure of the Ventanas smelter, located in Quintero, Valparaíso region, due to contamination episodes in the zone.
in conversation with 24 hoursPantoja indicated that 26 unions, 122 union leaders and unions through contractor companies joined the strike.
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“This mobilization involves approximately 50,000 workers on strike, that is what is going to happen and that the government has to understand. It is still time for the government to reconsider and we will always be for dialogue,” added the leader.
Likewise, Pantoja pointed out that they will take ethical shifts. “We will always do it because this company is ours. We take care of it and love it. No intention of harming it,” she said.
“The investment of 54 million dollars today solves the specific problem of contamination, a contamination that is not clearly the responsibility of Ventanas,” he said.
criticism of the government
The leader was critical of the Government of the President Gabriel Boric and with the helmsman of the Codelco board, Max Pacheco.
“We feel betrayed by a government that has not listened to us and a Codelco corporate government that has a president like Máximo Pacheco that has not understood the needs of the workers,” said Pantoja.
“This stoppage is the only way out that we have in investment. We are waiting for a gesture from the Government and we do not have it. It is still time for it to reconsider and react. We are available and we will always be for dialogue to the extent that we are able to reach to good agreements,” he emphasized.
Let us remember that the Codelco board of directors approved on Friday and by majority to advance in the preparation of the cessation of the operation of the Ventanas smelter. The measure requires amending Law 19,993, which obliges the Corporation to smelt Enami’s minerals exclusively at the Ventanas plant. The deal only involves the smelting process, as the refinery is not in question.
The Ministry of Mining indicated that to prepare the project that modifies Law 19,993, they called a meeting with FTC representatives for Wednesday. However, they declined to attend.
“The council decided not to participate for a simple reason, because we are not available to discuss a law that disadvantages us, on the contrary, we are going to continue insisting that this law harms Codelco,” said the president of the FTC.
