The workers in Argentina, who have been receiving international backing for their campaign, are represented by the Camioneros (the National Federation of Truck Drivers – Federación Nacional de Trabajadores Camioneros de Argentina), one of the unions on a six-day visit to the US led by ITF general secretary Steve Cotton.
Alongside the Camioneros representatives on the trip are colleagues from Denmark’s 3F union, Sweden’s SEKO, the Norwegian Transport Workers’ Union, Finland’s AKT, and the Nordic Transport Workers’ Federation. In addition to the meetings with Gate Gourmet workers they are participating in a programme of building strategic relationships and organising capacity in conjunction with the Teamsters union and the AFL-CIO, the American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations.
Speaking from the delegation, Steve Cotton said: “About 200 drivers employed by Gate Gourmet Argentina SRL rightly want to be recognised as truck drivers, not as food workers, as the company insists. Nowhere have their appeals for international union solidarity been responded to more vigorously than in the USA and the Nordic nations, giving great meaning to this visit, which is all about building the networks and tactics for closely integrated international solidarity.”
Pablo Moyano, deputy general secretary of the Camioneros commented that he was particularly pleased to meet with the Teamsters and UNITE HERE, two US unions that had been at the forefront of support for the Gate Gourmet workers struggle for jobs justice. All the workers want, he said, is a simple and honest recognition of what their jobs involve, and the pay and working conditions that comes with that recognition.
Gate Gourmet Argentina SRL is a subsidiary of Gategroup Holding AG, which is a subsidiary of China-based HNA Group.
