The strike, that began on 5 January, started after the government and workers failed to reach an agreement on payment for a daily half an hour snack break. The compromise meets the demands of 6,500 workers for a back pay for half an hour between 2005 and 2013. Port operaters committed to a $1.5m payment to all workers who met at least six months of activity and a minimum of 18 shifts per month.
With this accord, the ports of San Antonio, BiobÃo, Iquique, Antofagasta and Tocopilla resumed operations.
Exporters and producers of fruit estimated last week that the third week of strike would add additional losses of $70m and that the sector would have lost $175m in the 22 days of protests . The truck owners, meanwhile, said they lost around $80m. In addition nearly 7,000 automobiles had been unable to enter the country by San Antonio during the work stop. While the National Chamber of Commerce estimated at $180m of goods that could not enter or leave the country.
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