Fighters from different brigades northwest of Chubut cut off National Route 40 at the height of Las Golondrinas this afternoon, demanding better wages and working conditions.
As explained by Patricia Palma (Apuen), “We reject the agreements signed by the government with the union announced on Wednesday, because it is insufficient. They declare it as a 10% increase for the month of May , which will be decided in June, but the reality is that it will be only 3%, as the other 7% was already provided by the decree.
“It is already eaten up by inflation – he said – and we need equality to be able to raise our claims and negotiate the percentage we find convenient”.
In turn, Daniel Catalan (Travelin’) reflected that “a recent study by UNSJB shows that the basic food basket in the region is already worth over $200,000” and that “entering the brigade One member is barely earning half that.”
He immediately recalled that “we had the commitment of the government to sit in February, as signed in the November parities held with Minister Ayala, but it was not fulfilled and later we learned that they agreed to an increase by decree”. Now an amendment has been made, some points have been added, but it is insufficient.”
He commented that “we need a pay parity to discuss the increase specifically that we need for forest fire crews, taking into account last semester’s increase.”
After thanking the “enduring recognition and support of the community”, the union leader criticized that “the provincial government always uses brigade members for photographs and events. Most recently, on May 4 (International Forest Fighters Day) Tributes were paid to comrades who are no longer here. That’s great, but it would also be nice for officers to follow through on the commitments they signed.”
He insisted, “We just finished a meeting to know the reality of each and every premise and the conclusion is that we are a very battered institution.” In our case, we are the provincial headquarters in Trevalin, but we don’t have drinking water, we don’t have toilet paper, the bathrooms are crumbling and we don’t have communication equipment. The only one available doesn’t have calibrated antennas and we don’t have a telephone to receive calls, because the emergency number – which historically was 105 – doesn’t have a call input. They set up 0800, but when people call, they communicate with the Cordoba fire service,” he said.
He added that “this is the reality of the provincial fire management service. Also, there are hand-appointed positions and competitions are not respected. You have to compete for head of operations and not service coordinator, that position no longer exists.” . It exists on paper, but there is no one to occupy it. There is a Managing Director and he fulfills both the positions, but we do not know exactly which of them he uses. Now he is in the southern region. The boss wants to appoint, but that position is open to competition. Apart from punishing a colleague, the law is not respected,” he insisted.
Forgotten
For his part, Soledad Ayer, ATE’s regional leader, appreciated that “members of the brigade are heroes of the summer, but forgotten in the winter. It is very unfortunate as we know the reality, mainly because of everything that Which is missing in the base of each locality.
After noting that “we are calling for a real pay parity,” he invited provincial officials to “stay in the Andean region and see what a basic basket costs, where a kilo of meat costs $3,500″. More than.”
