Valparaiso port workers’ strike comes to an end

After 35 days, workers at the Chilean port of Valparaiso have ended their strike. Representatives of the employees accepted an offer from the operator, The Valparaiso Port Company (EPV), following an agreement signed between the workers and the Ministry of Labour last week. EPV’s offer includes a bonus of around US$1,100, a gift card of $360 and a training course worth $600.

The strike led to about 90% of fruit shipments being diverted to other ports, such as San Antonio, where fruit export volumes were up ten-fold from the same period last year. According to Fedrfruta president Jorge Valenzuela, no fruit losses were reported as all the goods were successfully shipped from other ports.