“Lawyers caranchos”: massive march by citrus growers against “trial industry” of growers

Citrus producers from Entre Ríos staged a protest and mobilization in the city of Chajarí, with the aim of demanding “stop the tasting industry and apply a Labor Law according to activity.” In the north of the province there are several 1,400 farmers and 400 packing plants which each year generates thousands of jobs. Manual citrus harvesting lasts from May to Decemberwhere crews arrive from Concordia, Feliciano, Corrientes and other parts of the country.

“Producers are tired of the successive demands of some sugarcane harvesters working on the farm to harvest fruit,” they said from the local branch of the Argentine Agrarian Federation (FAA).

Elvio Calgaro, producer of the entity, pointed out: “We quinteros have reached a limiting situation, which puts our activity at risk.” For this reason, they demanded “that the authorities act in this matter, as well as with the Bar Association to stop labor lawsuits from people working for short periods of time, and then, for various reasons , they leave the harvest, they go to others, take or directly they no longer work and file a lawsuit against quintero. which gave him a job in an activity where collection was normal and where a worker, on a good day’s work, could earn between $ 4,000 and $ 5,000 per month, ”Calgaro explained.

“Some are there for a few days, they establish a lawsuit and if they have to pay, for example, $ 40,000, they end up with $ 100,000 or more, in addition to the fees of the professional who sponsor them, ”explains the producer. And while producers usually “fix things” before going to trial, “it’s money thrown on the street because of a false claim,” Calgaro said.

“The harvest season is not long so you have to remove it from the tree before it falls and rots. All workers know this, but some profit from the trial industry advocated by unscrupulous lawyers ending in fifth, because the producer has a limit and he has reached the highest point, ”said the grower.

The quintero warned that a Labor Law was urgently needed in accordance with what citriculture is to harvest. Finally, he said:The producer pays two salaries: one is for the worker and the other is for the State with a huge social burden that also needs to be examined ”.