A number of leather and textile industry groups in Argentina have joined forces to call for government action over a crisis in the textile and footwear industries.
The call came in the form of an open letter to the government, which warned "The decrease in the level of activity has led to cuts in worked hours, suspensions and dismissals of jobs and in more severe cases to the closure of production lines and factories.”
"The continuity of this scenario puts at risk our industrial networks and with it the more than 500 thousand direct jobs that our chains employ,” the statement continued.
"Our industrial plants have world-class levels of efficiency and productivity. What we produce efficiently in our plants supports the burden of the factors that structure the systemic non-competitiveness of the Argentine economy, such as: strong tax pressure; high interest rates; rickety and expensive financial services; concentration of marketing channels, exacerbated real estate income; logistical and energy costs above those of the region, etc.”
The associations that joined together to issues the statement were: ACUBA (Asociación de Curtidores de la Provincia de Buenos Aires – Association of Tanners of the Province of Buenos Aires), SECEIC and SOCRA (Sindicatos de Obreros del Cuero – Trade Union of the Leather Workers) CAIPIC (Cámara de Proveedores – Chamber of Suppliers) CIMA (Cámara de las Manufacturas – Chamber of Manufactures), SAMC (Sindicato de obreros de las manufacturas – Trade Union of the Manufacturing Workers), FAICA (Federación Argentina del Calzado – Argentine Footwear Federation) and UTICRA (Trabajadores de la Industria del Calzado – Footwear Industry Workers).
