The State Workers Association (ATE) of Córdoba questioned the possibility that the arms factory in Río Tercero , part of the public company Fabricaciones Militares (FM) , signs an agreement with the Czech company CSG Defence . This agreement would imply the production of weapons destined to supply Ukraine in its conflict with Russia , which has generated concern among workers and the union.
CSG Defence , a Czech industrial and technological conglomerate, has been involved in the manufacture of weapons for several countries, including those supporting Ukraine within the framework of NATO policies . Recently, representatives of this company visited the FM plant in Rio Tercero with the aim of converting it into a Joint Stock Company and acquiring shares in it.
David Salto, general secretary of ATE Río Tercero, expressed his concern about the future of the plant , stating that production would be destined exclusively for export and not to supply the domestic market. “ We were told that the Savio Law is very nice, but it is no longer relevant. What is produced will be for the war in Ukraine ,” said Salto, who also stressed that management has pressured workers to accept the transformation of the plant or face closure .
The announcement comes in a broader context of Argentina's realignment towards weapons production , evidenced by a recent memorandum signed between Argentine Defense Minister Luis Petri and his Czech counterpart Jana Černochová .
Salto stressed that FM was created to guarantee national sovereignty and not to do business with foreign powers , especially within the framework of NATO , which has historically been viewed with suspicion in the country due to the military base installed in the Malvinas Islands in conjunction with the British usurper and the permanent military exercises in the South Atlantic .
FM workers also expressed concern about the possible privatisation of the Argentine aviation factory FADEA , adding another layer of uncertainty to the future of the country's defence industry . Salto warned of a lack of clarity on working conditions and the possibility of existing collective agreements being scrapped, which could weaken workers' representation.
Fabricaciones Militares , founded in 1941 , has been a pillar of the national defense industry, producing everything from vehicles to cutting-edge technology . However, the possibility that the Río Tercero plant could become a center for military production for foreign countries has generated strong opposition among workers, who fear that this would mean a radical change in the company's mission.
“All that will be done now will be military production, nothing civilian. These investors are looking to expand production capacities to meet Ukraine’s demand,” Salto concluded, emphasizing that the current situation is different from that of the 1990s, when military production was carried out clandestinely.
ATE Córdoba 's complaint resonates in a context of growing concern about the sovereignty and independence of the national industry.
