By Maximilian Heath
BUENOS AIRES (Reuters) -Argentine oilseed workers lifted a strike and returned to work at soybean processing plants belonging to conglomerate Vicentin after the firm scheduled payments for overdue wages, union SOEA said on Thursday.
The union had initiated the strike last week at Vicentin’s plants, temporarily disrupting soy processing in Argentina, the world’s largest exporter of soybean oil and meal.
On Wednesday, workers received 75% of what they were still owed from February, and next Wednesday they will receive the remaining 25%, SOEA Secretary Martin Morales told Reuters.
"We are willing to work as long as we get paid. We want to move forward," Morales added, while mentioning the difficulties that Vicentin has faced.
The company has been in bankruptcy proceedings since 2020 after defaulting on more than $1 billion in payments.
Workers had been calling on Vicentin to pay their salary for last month after the company paid just a fraction of what was owed, citing a "critical financial situation."
Morales said that on Wednesday, SOEA will meet with grains processors and exporters’ chamber CIARA-CEC to continue separate talks on wage increases for soybean processing workers across the country.