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Photo: Revista Puerto/FIS
Argentine Fleet Seeks 'Direct Agreements' with Sailors After SOMU Union Blockade
ARGENTINA
Thursday, July 17, 2025, 00:10 (GMT + 9)
Following the SOMU union's refusal to continue negotiations, Argentine fishing companies operating the freezer trawler fleet are exploring individual agreements with their sailors. The national government is reportedly willing to approve these "extraordinary" pacts in an effort to resume fishing operations and protect jobs and family incomes, according to Nelson Saldivia of Revista Puerto.
BUENOS AIRES – Argentina's fishing industry, particularly the freezer prawn sector, finds itself at a critical juncture. After a recent "slamming of the door" by the Maritime Workers Union (SOMU), which refused to continue negotiations, companies have begun to explore an alternative path: reaching direct, individual agreements with their sailors. This measure aims to resolve the prolonged conflict and allow the swift resumption of fishing operations in national waters.
Sources consulted by Nelson Saldivia for Revista Puerto indicate that the national government views the approval of these agreements favorably, considering them an "extraordinary" situation given the sector's paralysis.
Human resources departments of companies operating freezer trawlers have already initiated contact with their salaried marine workers. The objective is to inform them about the possibility of resuming fishing operations shortly.
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Shrimp Trawlers moored awaiting a solution to the conflict. Photo: Revista Puerto
The Proposal for Individual Agreements
As formally recorded in the minutes of the last hearing before the National Secretariat of Labor, both business chambers and independent companies proposed that parties be allowed to individually finalize direct agreements with each crew member who freely, voluntarily, and reliably expresses their consent to the new production reference values, in line with the terms already agreed upon with marine engineers and ship captains.
Companies justified exploring this option by highlighting the need to sustain family incomes for crew members and other workers within the fishing labor chain, as well as to ensure the continuity of productive units and their impact on regional and national economies.
On the first day of surveying workers, companies reported that employees expressed a strong willingness to go fishing as soon as possible. Immediately, legal teams from the companies began drafting these agreements, which, they emphasize, require the express free will of the sailors.
Land-based processing plants are also suffering from the shrimp crisis. Photo: Revista Puerto
Crew List Compilation and Call-Ups
The priority is given to salaried sailors. However, it's acknowledged that some more politicized groups, whether pro-SOMU or opposition, are resisting signing. For this reason, companies have also started contacting "relief" workers to form a "waiting list" to fill any vacancies in the effective crew rosters of each vessel.
Some companies have already begun setting concrete call-up dates for next week, aiming to start preparing vessels and moving them to their operating ports.
Fernando Álvarez Calls on His Crew (Conarpesa)
In a significant move, Conarpesa's president, Fernando Álvarez Castellano, sent a letter on Monday night to each of his four hundred sailors who make up the crews of his 12 trawlers.
"Today marks 30 years since I arrived in Argentina. I came because of a call from my family, and I stayed here. I sacrificed a lot for them, and I continue to sacrifice time with them, due to the mandate I imposed on myself from that first day. The first thing is to listen to family," he reflected.
"We went through many conflicts along the way, but we always negotiated, we always conceded, and we always reached agreements. Today I should be celebrating this anniversary... and yet, I am writing to you, in the midst of a conflict where one of the parties refuses any alternative, advised by none other than the corrupt Carlos Liberman and Julián Suárez, who only seek to return to where they were expelled from," he stated, pointing fingers at the SOMU leadership and its associates.
Conarpesa's owner praised the work performed by his employees: "Together with you, we built one of Argentina's largest companies, and a brand known worldwide for its quality. And now? The livelihood of your families is at stake, simply for prioritizing what a union leader says, above what each of you needs to bring home."
Advance Payments Offered to Willing Workers
Regarding the unionists, Álvarez Castellano remarked: "They get paid every month. And you? Because what they are defending is their political continuity in the next elections, not an agreement. They never thought about what was convenient for you, otherwise, they would have negotiated alternatives on the very first day."
"I've never experienced anything like this. But I am clear on one thing: we are 1,300 families, and I am not going to put them at risk for political whims or electoral maneuvering. That's why we are going to start calling those who want to go fishing. And those who go, we will give a significant cash advance for the family, against the catch they make, so they can cover their needs while the season develops," he announced.
He added: "You just have to sign the contract we've already shared, the same one that engineers and captains have already signed. They will say those contracts 'are illegal.' And if they were—which they are not—what would be the problem if you freely choose it? We have been losing days for months. And if we continue negotiating with a wall like SOMU, it is very likely that we will end up losing the entire season," he lamented.
The businessman explained to his workers that these individual agreements require the free will of each employee. "It's your decision, not that of third parties. Today, you would already be earning more in pesos than last year. Think about it, and decide freely. As I did 30 years ago. Family always comes first. Whether Durdos says so, or anyone else," he concluded.
San Isidro Urges Resumption of Activity
 For its part, the San Isidro Group also sent letters to each of its marine workers. "We want to tell you that, after seeing the good faith and commitment of the vast majority of you to go to work, we have decided to improve the conditions originally proposed. We do this as a demonstration that when we work together, without strikes or pressures, it is always possible to advance and improve," the company detailed regarding the improved proposal presented to the hearing, which SOMU rejected without analysis.
"Specifically, fixed items will not be absorbed into production, representing an additional improvement of more than 10% compared to the initial proposal, already accepted by most of you," the company added, noting that "this means that, if we compare with a similar catch from last year, you will be earning more than 15% more, in addition to the improvement generated by the reduction of income tax, which is already being applied," the company specified.
Finally, San Isidro advised against further delays and urged a return to fishing: "We believe this mutual effort is an important step to recover activity and protect everyone's work. We regret the lost time, but we also deeply value having found this path of direct understanding. Thank you for your commitment and trust. Let's move forward."
The situation underscores the growing tension between the fishing business sector and the SOMU union, as an urgent solution is sought for a crucial season.
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