"The 120 hours are five working days so Friday [Feb 22] will be the zero hour at which point the strike will begin if the company's attitude does not improve," Sutiss treasurer Johny Luna told BNamericas.

COUNTER OFFER

The union has lowered its salary increase request from 80 bolívares fuertes (Bf) (US$37) per day to 68Bf/d, according to Luna.

"We have come down 12Bf from the original demand but the company is not on the same page. Its original proposal of 20Bf has come up to 24Bf. There's no balance there," Luna said.

In terms of retroactive payment of benefits that workers have not been receiving during conflict discussions, Luna said that Sutiss initially proposed a payment of 50Bf/d but dropped its demand to 40Bf/d.

"But the company says that retroactive payments do not apply. The pose it is striking at the negotiation table is preventing us from reaching an agreement," he said.

ALL FOR ONE

Luna also said that all of the unions in Guayana region, where the plant is located, have announced their support of Sutiss' protest and will present petitions of complaint in a show of solidarity "as established in an article of the labor law."

Several economic sectors in the region that depend on Ternium Sidor's metal shipments have expressed concern that a possible strike will affect them. "We understand that every conflict has consequences," Luna said.

Sidor is Venezuela's largest steelmaker with average output of 4.2Mt/y of liquid steel.

The Ternium steel group - which is part of Italian-Argentine Techint group - controls 59.7% of the company, the Venezuelan state holds 20.4% through state heavy industry holding company CVG and employees own the remaining 19.9%.

Harvey Beltrán
Business News Americas