In On the eve of a new subway strike, metrodelegates reported that 2,700 people were exposed to asbestos, a carcinogenic material that they report is present in various subway stations. The general secretary of the Union Association of Subway and Premetro Workers, Alberto Pianelli, gave his opinion on the health problem and denounced: “We are machines for the company. When we filed a complaint (about asbestos), there was no“.
The complaint of the metrodelegates about the presence of Asbestos in the Subway
In radio statements, Pianelli explained that in response to the complaint from the workers, from EMOVA and the Buenos Aires government “They began removing tons of asbestos and postponed the tender four times. I no longer trusts”. Regarding the health problem, the union leader stated that there are already 2700 people who were exposed to this carcinogenic mineral.
“Every two years cancer tests are done. because it has a latency period that can be 10 years. There are already 107 with some asbestos condition,” added the general secretary of AGTSyP in advance of the measure of force of the Subway workers.
“The Head of Government Jorge Macri, the day he released the video saying that he was going to renew the subways of line Bit was the same day that he said he was not going to bid,” Pianelli pointed out against the role of the head of the Buenos Aires government.
As they stated in the statement in which they announced the measure of force, Since 2018, four workers have already died and 107 are affected as a result of exposure to asbestos.a group of minerals that can be present in soil and rocks and is associated with cancer.
“The death of our colleague fills us with deep sadness and indignation because it could have been avoided: asbestos It has been prohibited in Argentina since 2003. Despite this, for many years we work without being informed of the presence of asbestos in our workplace. The authorities denied it until our union demonstrated that The CAF 5000 trains contained this carcinogenic mineral used as insulation”, explained the official statement from the union.
Despite the numerous complaints, its ban and judicial presentations, the union assures that “the carcinogenic mineral continues to be present in infrastructure and trains.” To close the statement, they demanded “urgent change of fleets containing asbestos“to the authorities”who look the other way“.”
“Enough of postponing the train tender for line B. We need decontamination tasks to be accelerated in based on a comprehensive deasbestization plan. All people who work in the Subway and Premetro must be incorporated into the Medical Surveillance, which should also be extended to retired workers, given that the latency period of the disease can be several decades,” they concluded.
Subway stoppage: at what times and which lines it will affect
After Navarro’s death, the workers grouped in AGTSyP confirmed the measure of force in reference to the claim they maintain for the presence of the carcinogenic mineral. In this way, Subway services next Wednesday, November 20, will be affected as follows:
- From 10 to 12: Lines A and B.
- From 12 to 14: Lines D and H.
- From 2pm to 4pm: Lines C, E and Premetro.
Source: Ambito
