SUTNA and the firm add another chapter to the conflict, since they do not agree on the amount that must be settled. How much is the union demanding and how much was paid in 2022?
By Alejandro DiBiasi
04/04/2023 – 22,43hs
While a tough conflict that is difficult to resolve is taking place between the Single Union of Argentine Tire Workers (SUTNA) and Bridgestone regarding cross complaints over working conditions and dismissals, it transpired that the tire company will repeat the payment of the super profit participation bonus. Although the liquidation is within the collective agreement of the activity, the union and the firm are in a dispute that seems to deepen over the amount to be settled and may open another source of dispute.
For the union, Bridgestone “is forced to announce for the second consecutive time that it will pay” while the former head of SUTNA and current president of Astilleros Río Santiago, Pedro Wasiejko, estimated that each worker must be paid 1,225,000 pesos. Last year the bonus was around one million pesos and was settled in two installments.
From the company it was hinted that although there are intentions to make effective the payment of profit sharing among the staff, profit margins were lower due to a drop in production and, in some way, points to the measures of force that they suffered last year.
Earnings Bonus: the company demands to recover production levels
Company sources informed iProfessional: “At the end of 2021, we incorporated more than 350 people with the aim of significantly increasing our production levels. However, in 2022, we registered a decrease in daily production compared to 2019 (when we still did not we had incorporated the jobs), which meant that today we are below the installed capacity. This contraction in operations has resulted in the loss of tiresmany of which were destined for export.
They further explained that “despite this situation, Bridgestone is the only company in the tire industry to have a profit-sharing bonuswhich will be paid again this year, but which was strongly affected by the historical production lows registered during 2022″. Here it begins to be noticed that although there is an intention to liquidate the bond, It could be less than a million pesos paid last year.
“In addition, some time ago we agreed on a production bonus that, if the proposed objectives are met, could represent a further increase in the salary of each employee of the production plant”, they added from the tire company.
SUTNA and Bridgestone staged a similar conflict in 2022. It paralyzed the industry and lasted for five months.
With forceful measures that have been taking place for a couple of weeks, Bridgestone called for “recovering production levels in line with the investments we have made in the last 6 years (more than 200 million dollars) and continuing on the path of expansion that we have proposed and that benefits our people, customers, the company, the industry and the country”.
The union recalled that this bonus is a right incorporated since 2001
Meanwhile, Wasiejko maintained that the distribution of Profits It is a constitutional right and an anti-inflationary distribution tool that promotes investment” and recalled that this agreement clause was incorporated in 2001, in the midst of a harsh economic and social crisis, although It was only effective six times and this would be the seventh. The clause determined that any profit that exceeds 6 percent of net income tax-free must be distributed among workers and allocate it, with the same percentage, to market development and investment in equipment in the country.
The former head of SUTNA, who is also Secretary General of the Federation of Energy, Industry, Services and Allied Workers (FETIA) aligned with the Workers’ CTA, remarked that “this type of initiative must be promoted to guarantee the recovery of the income of employeeswhich is provided for in the National Constitution” and stated that “if living in a democratic society is proclaimed so much, it is necessary to advance the participation of employees in profits, which will allow a greater commitment of workers and workers with the companies”.
For the union, the company seeks to “take care of the forms”
For its part, the SUTNA that Alejandro Crespo leads today, clarified: “After the workers recovered the Llavallol Section, and despite the fact that productions were much lower than in other years, where export records were also held, Bridgestone is forced to announce for the second consecutive year the profit-sharing pay, the amount of which has been disclosed outside of this union.”
He indicated that “this situation occurs in full conflict and with such exposure, the company must take care in its way of acting when it is being observed by the union, for all the workers and even for the Argentine public opinion. Already last year, in the final part of the parity conflict that the whole country followed, she was forced to pay the second part of the same bonus despite the fact that this fact harmed her in the development of the conflict.
The union sources consulted by iProfesional indicated that “the employer announced the payment of this bonus the same day that the night shift will carry out a total stoppage of activities due to the dismissals filed in response to the summons made by the Ministry of Labor, in the face of bad working conditions prevailing in the plant”. However, from Bridgestone they remarked that there are still no specific figures, but speculation from some sectors.
