Supermarket labor disputes flare in Argentina and Spain

In Argentina, the professional and hierarchical staff union APPyJC has filed a complaint against the Cencosud‑owned Makro chain, accusing the retailer of pressuring employees to sign a voluntary “bank of hours” agreement that would replace overtime pay with future time compensation. The union says workers feel coerced and threatened, rejects any forced modification of labour conditions, and has declared a state of alert while evaluating further actions.

In Spain’s Galicia region, the Association of Supermarkets, Wholesale Self‑service and Food Distributors of A Coruña (ASAC) has called on trade‑union federations to resume negotiations and, if necessary, accept mediation by the regional labour relations council. ASAC reported incidents during a strike on Tuesday 23, citing coercion, insults and attempts to block access for workers and customers, and praised police presence for maintaining safety. The association apologised to shoppers, stressed that the right to strike must coexist with the rights of non‑striking staff, and urged dialogue to reach a decent collective agreement with better wages and conditions.