This Wednesday, February 5 will be A key date for the conflict between Bridgestone and the Single Union of Argentina’s Tire Workers (Sutna). That day expires the deadline imposed by the Ministry of Labor of the Nation for the guild set a definitive and formal position Faced with the arguments presented by the company to justify its request for a reopening of the crisis preventive procedure.
While it is discounted that workers’ position will be challenge that order that they consider “illegal”, this administrative procedure It will be the last previous step Before the opinion of the unit of crisis.
This labor portfolio organ must evaluate the positions of both parties and solve whether you accept or reject The application that will allow the company to cut its production levels and specify a new batch of layoffs.
At the previous hearing, which took place on Wednesday, January 29, virtually, the Secretariat transferred to the documentation union presented by the company and set a period of 5 business days “For the purpose of establishing position and/or exercising the rights that correspond to correspond.”
In addition, as included in the minutes of the meeting, “in this state the parties are made known that once the union entity responds to the transfer conferred on the date, The actions will be sent to the Crisis Treatment Unit for its treatment and opinion regarding the relevant procedure ”.
On this formal requirement, the Sutna clarified that he will present his position in A letter added to the file and will respond to the documents of the company that transferred them work.
“But we already anticipate that what corresponds is The rejection of this order and the return to negotiation channels in the character of good faith where workers’ rights are respected, ”said the guild whose secretary general is Alejandro Crespo.
Last procedures before the work of the labor portfolio
The labor portfolio has to issue an acceptance or rejection opinion of the request made by the company to reopen the Crisis Preventive Procedure (PPC) that had been approved, applied and closed between October and November 2024.
This exception regime allowed him at that time detach from 450 employeesaccording to the complaints made by the union sector. Now, the reopening or expansion of that legal umbrella would open the door to the multinational To specify another 290 layoffs and adapt its current level of operation to the fall that has been suffering the demand for tires in the country.
The company ensures that its complicated situation of today is a derivation of the extensive union conflict of 2022, which – it says – deteriorated the export base of its business and that it still has repercussions on its operation.
On the current scenario, Bridgestone communicated: “The business and the market are challenging and The prospects for 2025 seem even more difficultwhich forces to be realistic about the current situation of the company and evaluate the possible steps that can be taken to optimize the structure and repair key projects. ”
“We are in a situation of deepening the distortion factors on the local manufacturing process. Given this retraction of consumption and inventory level, Bridgestone You must further reduce your production levels adapting it to the best demand scenarios, ”the company argued.
From the union, these arguments reject: “These attempts to reopen the preventive crisis procedure They are illicit and inadmissible and there are no real objective causes that justify them. Therefore, we strictly reject any attempt to cut personnel. ”
In addition, last week the guild put on the discussion table a fact that questions the business argument that faces a crisis in its local operation: the parent company reported in the United States the closure of a factory in the American city of Nashville, Tennessee , with the intention of “optimizing your commercial presence and strengthening your competitiveness.”
That adjustment, Bridgestone reported part of a “Medium term business plan” which covers the period 2024-2026. And acknowledged that this plan It also covers operations in Argentina and Brazil.
“Bridgestone International through its official website contradict the story of the Bridgstone Argentina employer and shows its world plan where for reasons of commercial strategy attempts against the jobs, ”explained the Sutna in the documentation presented at the audience.
Bridgestone manufactures tires at its Llavallol plant, province of Buenos Aires, where 700 people work and has four production lines (cars, trucks, agriculture and off road). From there comes the production that supplies the local market and also a portion that is exported.
Source: Ambito
