Argentina grains workers strike set to drag on into weekend

BUENOS AIRES (Reuters) -An oilseed workers strike in Argentina is set to carry on into Saturday as wage negotiations with firms remained stalled, affecting shipments from one of the world’s major grain exporters.

At least 36 ships loaded with grains remained delayed on Friday near the key agricultural port of Rosario, according to an industry spokesperson and unions.

Two industrial unions kicked off the strike early on Tuesday as workers demand that salaries stay ahead of high inflation.

In a statement late Friday, the two unions said they had “decreed to extend the strike for another 24 hours due to the intransigence of the companies involved.”

“So far we have no news, we have no proposals of any kind,” Daniel Succi, leader of the San Lorenzo Department Oilseed Workers and Employees Union (SOEA) told Reuters earlier.

The strike mainly affects terminals located north of Rosario along the Parana River, where more than 80% of Argentina’s agricultural and agro-industrial exports are shipped.

President of the CIARA oilseed industry chamber, Gustavo Idigoras, told Reuters that the companies he represents were willing to negotiate on condition that the strike ends.

“We are ready to sit down to negotiate, as soon as the measures are lifted,” Idigoras said.

Government representatives did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment on the industrial action.

While the rate of rising consumer prices has slowed since President Javier Milei took office in December, accumulated inflation in the first half of this year still stood at 79%, official figures showed. Yearly inflation stands at 271.5%.

“The situation remains unchanged and there are approximately 36 vessels delayed,” said Guillermo Wade, head of the Ports and Maritime Activities Chamber.

(Reporting by Nicolas Misculin and Maximilian Heath; Writing by Lucinda Elliott; Editing by Alexander Villegas and Alistair Bell and Miral Fahmy)