Chilean docks militarized, January 2014.
Workers say the government gives military support to private concessionaire’s strikebreakers
It’s been nearly two weeks that ports across Chile have been paralyzed over a demand for back pay. HispanTV was in San Antonio, the most important port in Chile, where private concessionaires have gotten the government to militarize their operations.
This is how it goes, these days, the shift change at the port of San Antonio: A small army special forces ensures the entry of strikebreakers.
The large contingent of militarized police reinforcements has shaken the normally quiet town of 120,000 inhabitants. Residents have not seen this many militarized police forces since the Dictatorship.
Workers work in small groups to divide the police and alert the public.
In an impromptu meeting, the strikers rejected the government’s request to return to work to open negotiations. Ships are waiting in the bay.
After the rejection of the government’s ultimatum, workers remain alert to keep out strikebreakers at the port facilities.
Translated from Spanish. See the original at Defensores del Cobre