Industry – July 8, 2026
Salmones Camanchaca: workers launch strike over pay and conditions
Workers at Salmones Camanchaca's processing plant in Tomé, Chile, began a legal strike on Tuesday after collective bargaining negotiations ended without agreement.
The strike was approved by 99.46% of members of the company's Sindicato No. 1, which represents around 230 workers, according to Radio Bío Bío. The union is seeking higher wages, improved working conditions and changes to company policies, including removing links between medical leave and eligibility for bonuses and holiday payments.
Union president Carolina Cuevas told Radio Bío Bío the strike was the first of its kind at the Tomé facility and followed unsuccessful negotiations despite the union's willingness to continue talks.
The industrial action also caused temporary traffic disruptions near the plant.
In a statement, Salmones Camanchaca said workers covered by the agreement already received higher pay than comparable workers in the region and had seen real wage increases in every round of collective bargaining.
The company said its latest offer would have increased average pay by 10.2% over the next three years, alongside a CLP 1.75 million (around EUR 1,670) signing bonus. It said monthly salaries under the proposal would have ranged between CLP 1.1 million and CLP 1.35 million, which it said was 49% above the average income in Chile's Biobío region and above the salmon industry's average.
Salmones Camanchaca described the strike as unprecedented for the company and said it regretted blockades at the entrance to the processing plant.
