Strike and mobilization of oil tankers

The strike and mobilization of oil workers, to which truck drivers and construction workers will be added, will coincide with the anniversary of Comodoro Rivadavia, which will turn 123 years old on February 23.

This 12-hour stoppage, without affecting production, and mobilization is in response to the fact that YPF and Tecpetrol, of the Techint group, Pan American Energy and Capsa will reduce their investments by 2024, paralyzing drilling equipment and abandoning areas, since they decided to reorient the investments in the San Jorge Gulf basin destined for Vaca Muerta. This decision by companies puts thousands of jobs in the region at risk.

In the context of the climate and environmental crisis, where Comodoro Rivadavia suffers from a chronic lack of water, Argentina’s energy matrix depends on fossil fuels by 85%. All considerations based on scientific evidence recommend overcoming this state of affairs: defossilizing. But extractivism, the export mandate, the oil lobby, and maximizing their profits is stronger.

For this reason, YPF, Tecpetrol, from the Techint group, Pan American Energy and Capsa decided to only maintain their main areas in the province such as Manantiales Berh (YPF) or El Tordillo (Tecpetrol). In addition, oil companies, such as YPF, need Escalante crude oil for the refining complex, which requires heavier crude oil (such as that from the Gulf) to blend with the much lighter Medanito oil from Vaca Muerta.

Let us point out that Horacio Marín, a chemical engineer who until now had been serving as Director of Exploration and Production of Tecpetrol, the flagship of the Techint Group in the oil sector, took over as president of the board of directors and CEO of YPF.

The oil companies have the luxury of plundering natural resources, with a privileged concession, investing little and with a tailored work agreement to increase the exploitation of workers in the sector and when there is a better business, like now Vaca Muerta, regardless of the the trend of layoffs that this would produce and the environmental liability that already exists in the city (abandoned oil wells that were not sealed, water contamination, etc.), and that this measure will deepen, if it is not defeated.

In addition, YPF managers also announced that they must also address “efficiency,” that is, layoffs and greater job insecurity, to lower costs in their operations in the Gulf and equal the flexibility and greater labor exploitation that imposed on Capsa and Pan American Energy (PAE), the largest hydrocarbon producer in Chubut.

However, it must be remembered that it was the leadership of Loma Ávila, current national deputy for Together for Change, and ally of the governor of the Pro, Ignacio Torres and former ally of the Peronist Mariano Arcioni, for whom he set up a gang against the struggle. teacher in 2019, is the one that signed, under the Macri government and that of the Frente de Todos, agreements that implied loss of rights and increase in labor flexibility.

Serial escapers

Marcos Bulgheroni, one of the owners of Pan American Energy, friend of all national and provincial governments. That oil company lost almost 100 million dollars, at the same time that it received, along with other oil companies, million-dollar subsidies, reduced the salaries of its workers and obtained fabulous profits.

Paolo Rocca, from Techint, the richest man in Argentina. The Techint Group escaped through Siderar and Tecpetrol more than 315 million dollars.

May the strike and mobilization be the beginning of a true fighting plan with clear objectives

In a province that depends on hydrocarbon activity, the layoffs that would occur if this plan by the operators is carried out is a very serious precedent for all employees, which requires a response that meets the circumstances with a joint fight plan for all workers. unions in the province, first of all, those of oil workers.

To avoid this type of management of the hydrocarbon industry at the service of corporate profit, we presented with Nicolás del Caño from the Left Front in the National Congress a project for the comprehensive renationalization of the entire industry under the control of the workers.

Likewise, we demand that the Legislature of Chubut, with a majority of the Pro (of which Lomas Ávila is a national deputy) speak out against this policy of the oil companies.

At this time, a great provincial struggle is necessary, which unites the fight of the oil workers to defend jobs, that of the fishing workers for better salaries, that of the teachers against the attack on the right to strike, better salaries and in defense of public education, that of the firefighting brigades who face fires with the threat of being fired at the end of national state contracts, along with that of the students in defense of the public university, and all those who They fight against Milei and Torres’ war plan.

The only way to stop the “war plan” of Milei, Torres and the companies is with the strength of all the workers. We showed our strength in the national strike on January 24. The CGT is letting isolated salary conflicts run, when what it is about is uniting them. They refuse to activate the phenomenal combat power of the millions of workers they claim to represent. It is necessary to return to the path of a plan of struggle and a national strike with a collective response from the working class.

A plan of struggle is needed that ends in the general strike, the only way to defeat the adjustment as a whole. We must organize in each workplace to impose this path on the leaders of the CGT and the CTA.