A company in Argentina fired 35 employees who left early to watch Argentina x Egypt in the round of 16 of the World Cup on TV, last Tuesday (7/7).
Metalfor, a manufacturer of agricultural machinery located in Marcos Juárez (province of Córdoba, Argentina), communicated the news to employees — who were shocked — via a text message, just half an hour before the start of the match, played in Atlanta (Georgia, USA) and won by the Argentines 3-2.
One of those dismissed, Fausto Barbero, aged 45 and who had been an employee of the company for more than two decades, stated that many of his colleagues only found out about his dismissal the following day.
"I dedicated my entire life to the company. It is due to poor management by the board that they find themselves in this situation now", he said.
Those fired claim to have obtained authorization to leave early. Metalfor did not comment.
The company's financial situation has deteriorated since last year. According to reports, Metalfor owes money to 23 institutions as a result of the drop in sales. The company will need to undergo restructuring.