The last month has seen another outburst of popular discontent in Chile. Workers at the northern port of Angamos went on strike March 16, after port operator Ultramar responded to a regulation limiting hours worked per week by axing workers’ thirty minute lunch break. Dock workers around the country joined in solidarity, grinding the country’s export infrastructure to a halt for over two weeks. Most recently, workers at state-owned Codelco, the source of around 10 percent of the world’s copper, held a 24-hour strike to demand better pensions and enforcement of subcontracting laws.
As the strikes dragged on, the condemnations from Chile’s political and business establishment poured in. Many lamented the lost export earnings and potential damage to the country’s investor-friendly image. Some were overtly dismissive and condescending. Codelco chief Thomas Keller insisted that the striking miners’ stated objectives were simply a ruse. What really troubled them, according to Keller, was modernization and adoption of new technology in the sector — as if workers should accept such threats to their livelihoods with a smile and due appreciation for the march of progress.
Meanwhile, Finance Minister Felipe Larraín assured workers that “strikes are not the way to move the country forward.” Instead, they should put their faith in dialogue. President Sebestián Pinera, for his part, admonished workers that “it is difficult to build a country that works for everyone, yet it is so easy to destroy it.”
The strikers could be forgiven for wondering what country Mr. Pinera had in mind.
Provide opinions about it in at least 45 words.
Deadline: May 31st, 2013
TEXT: http://rapidshare.com/files/976925241/The%20Walking%20Dead~Issue%20001.pdf
Well, I think that it's very complicated, 'cuz here we have two points of view, the workers and the politics, the situation of chile is poor. if the estate give help, the people use this of bad way, but if don´t give this help the people get's fume. In this situation the people claims for justice and that it's good
ReplyDeleteCatalina Concha
I think that this is a important topic,where I support completely to workers and find totaly unfair for what they are going on. I really would like that strikes and protests of the workers are not ignored or suppressed. I think that the politics should do something about.
ReplyDeleteWell, in my opinion i think strikes and the destruction of private property no is the best form of express oneself, but i think is good fight for your rights, because one need to be listened for the state and this should be respond and should not be ignored the voice of the working citizens.
ReplyDeleteOscar Gonzalez
(sorry for the delay)
Well, in my opinion I think is not correct what workers do they have always told me that I am diverging, think always different from others and now it is no exception, because with strikes, because get methods so extreme and irrational, they are only people who always sees the glass half empty, and don't think that things may be worse. It would be better to talk about what they want and do not show the animal side of humans, acting without thinking, all that is achieved is that Chile is not well seen by other countries ¬¬.
ReplyDeleteDana Donoso
Teacher really sorry, I was punished on Thursday :O
well, in my point of view, I think that strikes are a way of expressing what one fight, but when they go it is destroying, attack, disrupt society, now thats what I call vandalism, and I don't think that this well. Policy should do something about it, something that will benefit both groups: citizens and politicians.
ReplyDeleteDenisson Donoso
(sorry for the delay)
Excellent, I think that if there is no movement, no response of the system but do not justify the damage caused by the Protestant because that lowers the country's economy but much mas.Tambien want to say that the police would also have to work harder in these cases try to stop this and not cause damage to the Protestants.
ReplyDelete(sorry for the delay, today I learned that he had recently)
well, I think the protesters have a right to say what they want because it is a free country but do not support bad things like kill barricades.also the police do not be so violent
ReplyDelete(sorry teacher for the delay)
Daniela Cerda
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteI believe that the vision of a country that has the president does not correspond to the vision of a country that have workers.
ReplyDeleteSorry for the delay.
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeletewell... i think, this is good and bad at the same time,is good because the Workers claim for their rights, and also for a better quality of work, and is bad , because the strikes, affects the country's economy, and does look bad workers, well for some people
ReplyDeleteNicolás valencia
Sorry for the delay. :3