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17 July, 2025Union representatives from Argentina, Brazil, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Peru and Uruguay met in Buenos Aires to examine the challenges facing the pulp and paper sector and to strengthen coordinated action in the region. The event was attended by representatives of the Belgian union federation ACV-CSC BIE, building on an international alliance aimed at pursuing joint strategies.
Key debates were held with the participation of prominent regional and global leaders from the sector. Prior to this, the Argentinian paper workers’ federation led by its general secretary, Ramón Luque, welcomed the participants to its head office and gave a presentation on the history and work of the federation and the Argentinian workers’ movement.
One of the main issues addressed during the event was the national government’s relentless attacks on the rights and gains won by the Argentinian trade union movement. The global situation was also examined from a political, economic and sectoral perspective, based on presentations by Luca Baldan of ACV-CSC BIE and Tom Grinter, IndustriALL’s director for the sector.
Regarding gender policies, IndustriALL vice president Lucineide Varjão presented a report on the progress made in the sector. She highlighted the formation of the Regional Network of Women Paper Workers, which held its first meeting in April 2025 and drew up an action plan with the participation of over 40 women leaders, a fact highlighted by the ILO.
Each country then presented their reports. Several points in common emerged, such as the actions of the main transnationals in the sector, their anti-union practices and attacks on collective bargaining agreements, and how workers are organizing to counter them, both politically and at trade union level through their organizations.
As part of the activities, the leaders took part in a rally at the gate of one of the factories, to support the efforts of the Argentinian paper workers in their negotiations.
The event concluded with the approval of an action plan including strategies such as strengthening the focus on the supply chain, further developing the women’s group and consolidating trade union networks in companies in the sector.
The judicial persecution of Cristina Fernández de Kirchner was also denounced.
Cristian Alejandro Valerio, IndustriALL’s deputy regional secretary for Latin America and the Caribbean, said:
“In the context of a very difficult regional and global situation on both the labour and political front, I would like to emphasise the commitment of all our regional affiliates in the sector in participating in this key regional event to help continue building trade union power and coordinating joint policies and actions within both company and sectoral networks, to stand up to the attacks by global capital on the rights and gains of paper workers in Latin America and around the world.”