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ILO Declares Admissible a Claim by Forestry Contractors Against the State

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The Association of Forestry Contractors (Acoforag) reported that the International Labour Organization (ILO) declared admissible its claim against the State of Chile, filed in October 2022, due to non-compliance with Convention 187, which relates to the duty to act as a guarantor of workplace safety.

According to El Mercurio, the complaint stems from the 447 arson attacks suffered by the forestry sector since January 2014, recorded in 56 communes across six regions, particularly in the Southern Macrozone.

In response, the ILO proposed creating a tripartite committee to examine the claim, which would include its representatives, victims of the forestry attacks, and the Executive Branch.

If the Government decides not to participate in the tripartite committee, it must submit its objections by June 11 to the ILO headquarters in Geneva.

René Muñoz, manager of Acoforag, welcomed the decision and stated, "We hope the Government understands this is urgent, just as the security issue in Santiago is being addressed today—because now they're in a hurry, the security issue blew up in their faces. We’ve been living this for over 10 years."

"So, we believe it’s reasonable for the State—and I’m not blaming the Government, but the State of Chile—to understand this is an issue that must be resolved. Conventions are meant to be honored, and you can’t erase with your elbow what you signed with your hand, even if it was signed by another government. But we understand it’s the State that must comply," added the forestry representative.

GOVERNMENT RESPONSE

On the matter, the Presidential Delegate of the Biobío Region, Daniela Dresdner, stated, "Since the day we entered the Government, we have been working precisely on the acts of violence affecting forestry workers, but also many others living in different areas. We have significantly reduced violence numbers and dangerous situations for people transporting goods by truck along various routes."

"This is something extremely noticeable in our Biobío Region because these numbers have dropped to almost nonexistent levels. We hope to continue this trend, and we are working closely with Carabineros and the Armed Forces to ensure it stays that way," added the government official.

Source:www.cooperativa.cl