Hear
The Association of Small and Medium Dairy Enterprises (Apymel) expressed its rejection of the appointment of Sergio Raúl Longo, a union member of the Association of Dairy Workers of the Argentine Republic (Atilra), as a delegate of the Ministry of Labor of the province of Buenos Aires in Trenque Lauquen. Apymel argued that Longo was involved in picketing against two SMEs in the dairy sector, which is why he repudiated his appointment. The union member has a record of allegedly blocking a plant in La Pampa for four days in 2014, but he is also criminally charged for his participation in the conflict that occurred in Vidal Dairy, in 2022.
“The dairy SMEs categorically repudiate the appointment of Mr. Sergio Raúl Longo as delegate of the Ministry of Labor of the province of Buenos Aires, Tranque Lauquen delegation. It is inadmissible and contrary to law that a person with pending criminal proceedings can be appointed public administration official, “This should be (it is) sufficient cause to disqualify him from holding any public office,” they explained in a brief statement.
It is worth remembering that, last May, the attorney general Martín Butti summoned Longo to an investigative statement along with four other people involved in a criminal case due to the conflict in the SME Lácteos Vidal, located in the town of Moctezuma, province of Buenos Aires. The dates were scheduled for the 3rd, 4th, 10th, 17th and 18th of the current day. The origin of the conflict dates back mainly to a request for salary recategorization that led to a blockade that the company had in mid-2022. The act for which they were charged is “compulsion to strike.” and against “freedom of work”penalized by the article 158 of the Penal Code.
Longo has, as they explained, a history in cases of blockades of dairy companies: In January 2014, he was charged with the crimes of “hindering transportation” and “threats” in the case of the blockade of the Don Felipe dairy plant, in the town of Macachín, in La Pampa. At that time it was decided to make financial reparations to the affected businessman, José Bergara, for $150,000 for the four days that the takeover of the dairy plant lasted. The case ended with a probation as he has no record and it is a lesser penalty, as he explained Mariana Heimlawyer for Lácteos Vidal THE NATION. Now, Longo would not be able to access a probation for having a history of similar acts.
At that time, as reported, Sergio Longo and Gastón Moreno, representing Atilra, arrived on January 20, 2014 at the Don Felipe dairy plant, located on Provincial Route No. 1, owned by Bergara, Along with a group of people in several collective vehicles, they camped at the entrance doors of the factory, preventing the entry and exit of the workers. “They closed the way to all people and vehicles. There was a salary discussion. The measure was not communicated by the union nor was an extraordinary assembly held for the decision. Nor could the workers of the Don Felipe firm give their opinion on the union measure,” they noted.
Alejandra Bada Vázquezone of the owners of Vidal Dairy, He noted that the provincial Ministry of Labor has to arbitrate conflicts between companies and unions, therefore, it has to be a neutral body. “If a person who is accused of compulsion to strike is appointed as part of that Ministry that should be neutral, there is clearly a sign of a conflict of interest“, he claimed. The businesswoman maintained that, beyond being accused in the case of a company in the sector, it is an ethical issue, even though she is legally authorized to do so.
“We then urge Mr. Walter Correa, Minister of Labor of the Province of Buenos Aires, to reverse this appointment, leaving it void.”they asked from Apymel.
THE NATION
