The general secretary of La Fraternidad does not reject the labor reform discussed with the unions. Omar Maturano criticizes Moyanos and Vlada, but winks at Sergio Massa and Patricia Bullrich.
Fraternity, Guild of train drivers born in 1887, is the oldest trade union in Latin America. AND Omar MaturanoThe 65-year-old and current general secretary has been leading it since 1994.
In the 1990s, he opposed the policy of "ending branch, closing branch", promoted by Carlos Menem. He did it in defense of the logistics economy. It was when he teamed up with Hugo Moyano. But the truck driver, according to Maturan, "He violated the codes by entering the internships of other unions"The driver then distanced himself, creating the Argentine General Union of Transport Workers (UGATT), in competition with the Argentine Confederation of Transport Workers (CATT) led by the Moyans.
in dialogue with Chronicler, Maturano agreed to discuss all the problems. Even a kind of dramatic taboo: the problem of death by being run over. The brotherhood developed a revealing statistics: in 30 years of service, each worker runs over 30 people. He also made surprising statements about electoral politics.
EVERYTHING IS BROKEN
How do you see the general political situation?
We find ourselves with broken Peronism, broken opposition, unionism broken into several parts.
You and the other guilds formed a new transport confederation, you broke the one led by the Moyanos.
Yes, I was attached to CATT for years, and later, because we did not agree on the ideas, the strategy, the way to manage the confederation, the way and the values, we decided on something else. We have a vision of what is fundamental: to make logistics cheaper, so that every worker can access consumption.
Did he fight Pablo Moyano?
There was no fighting, there were disagreements and we established UATT. We also brought in logistics, loading and unloading and Carlos Acuña's union, the gas station union. Also colleagues from SOECRA, the union that brings together cemetery and vigil workers. Finally, it's the last trip.
What was the difference with the Moyanos? Was it said that they only wanted trucks and you resisted that idea?
They raise "no code". And if anything saved Argentine trade unionism, it was the code and ethics. They (the Moyans) did not respect him. They entered to enter trade union internships where they have no connections, they entered to found other trade unions where trade unions already exist, they did what a trade unionist didn't have to do, they did what a good man does. no need to work. It was as if they wanted to break the Argentinian union model. It will never work. For them, transportation exists on the decks, as long as La Fraternidad exists, whoever is in charge as General Secretary, the trains will have steel wheels, not rubber.
EQUALITY OF MACHINE DRIVERS
What are the parities in your guild? The government wants to close at 60%.
No, the government can amount as much as it wants, but we strive to be ahead of inflation, not behind. In the time of (Raúl) Alfonsín, we debated every week. If they want to ask for 60% now, they have to give us 60% the first day, if not, let it be adjusted for inflation, which will leave us a month in, but that would be the best thing in the world.
What is the average salary of a driver?
From a 10-year train driver, out of his own pocket, 240,000 pesos.
Are the members satisfied?
Yes, we held each other, but it's not right. We have accidents at work. And when you have an accident, you have three roads. First, the hospital. Second, you died. Third, you go to jail. Even if it's 48 hours for a criminal record, until you see the responsibilities, you go to prison. If not, you are in the hospital or have just left. We suffered in our careers, which is 30 years of service, 30 people on average. If they jumped on you, you grabbed a bus, a van. Post-traumatic stress is very difficult. The partner retires, and it is normal for him to die at the age of five or six from some mental disorder or heart problem. Post-traumatic stress hurts you a lot.
Have you had an accident?
Yes of course. If it were not so, he would not be the general secretary of the Brotherhood. I had six rollovers. You see trade unionists who have never worked, but that is not my case.
Can you get over it?
I overcame it, yes, as it was overcame before, by doing the inner process. Now level crossings are abolished, we have fewer accidents. There is a lower level, but if you lead a group of 22 people forward, 22 are yours.
What do you think of the train driver Marcos Córdoba, who starred in the brutal tragedy at station eleven and was imprisoned?
It's good, he's back to work now. He was released on parole. They gave him three years and three months, he got the smallest sentence. Now we're bringing him back to the company, but he can't drive for the rest of his life. We have it in the clothing store.
And in politics, how does the union play?
The fraternity may have favorites, but we don't burden anyone while I'm here. What we can do is logistics, sticking posters, prosecutors, what suits us as militants. We still see it today the so-called Peronism, because it is their front, not the Front of all, is still undefined. But we don't.
FROM "IN FRONT OF THEM" TO "TOGETHER FOR THEM"
Why do you say "In front of them" In front of everyone?
Because I'm not in there. And I am a Peronist. So it is Their Front.
And Together for change?
They are together for them.
Do you think they are the same?
Yes, because coalitions have never served. They only work when there is a leader and he orders things to be done. There cannot be three leaders, four leaders. The boss is the boss and what he says is done. Later, if something went wrong, we sit down at the table and see what needs to be corrected. But the leader is one.
I mean, aren't you with Alberto Fernández?
No no no.
And with Cristina Kirchner?
The lady was the leader then, but now she has to start delegating well, not badly as before. For me personally, not for the union (because in this union there are people from PRO, there are radicals, there are people from La Cámpore, but most of us are Peronists), for Peronism, it is (Sergio) Massa the president. Governor, I won't argue, because I don't even know the candidates. And if it was the opposition, for me it would have to be Mrs. Patricia Bullrich.
"BULLRICH HAS OVARIES"
Why Patricia Bullrich and not Horacio Rodríguez Larreta?
Because it gets to people, it gets cloudy, it has ovaries. Both Massa and Patricia are the ones who can call for a truly national agreement and bring together all sectors of society to move our country forward.
It seems to me that he is talking about Bullrich as if he wants to make a deal, and not about Rodríguez Larreta, who seems more moderate.
I have known Patricia for a long time because she was the Minister of Labour. We had a relationship, it wasn't one of the best, because she has a special character, and I have another special character, but we talked. I have a friendly relationship with Massa, I think he can be a great presidenthe has great political expertise and contacts with the IMF, with the world.
Do you agree with the labor reform proposed by Bullrich?
No, for me the laws are well made. There should be no labor reform. What I agree with is thinking about the future and changing collective agreements by 180 degrees. The new president must issue a decree renegotiating all contracts, favoring the situation of small and medium-sized enterprises, which is at the heart of the compensation problem. There are methods in the world to pay a worker when he is fired. I think you have to find a way to do that.
Source: Cronista
I am Ross William, a passionate and experienced news writer with more than four years of experience in the writing industry. I have been working as an author for 24 Instant News Reporters covering the Trending section. With a keen eye for detail, I am able to find stories that capture people’s interest and help them stay informed.
