“This is no longer a strike, it is a paid vacation”: harsh complaint about the conflict in fishing
Botana pointed out that what the Ministry of Labor granted to 153 SUNTMA members is “paid vacation” and not unemployment insurance.
The portfolio led by Juan Castillo resolved to accede to the request of the Single National Union of Seafarers and Related Workers, for a special unemployment subsidy regime.
Legislator Sergio Botana pointed out that what the Ministry of Labor granted to 153 members of SUNTMA are “paid vacation” and not unemployment insurance.
The portfolio led by Juan Castillo resolved to accede to the request of the Single National Union of Seafarers and Related Workers (SUNTMA), for a special unemployment subsidy regime.
The nationalist senator said that the workers who led the country to strike are being rewarded with three months’ salary.
Botana maintained that at least 50 million dollars and irreparable damage were lost.
The conflict in the fishing sector generated a strong controversy after the broadcast of an audio that harshly questioned the decision of the Ministry of Labor to grant three months of subsidy to the workers who kept the boats paralyzed. The voice in the audio states that the conflict, far from being a legitimate union measure, “is no longer a strike, it is a paid vacation,” and denounces improper use of unemployment insurance instruments.
The message indicates that the main people responsible for the damage caused to the country are not those who suffered the consequences of the strike, but rather those who caused it: “the machinists, the boat owners, the women in the slaughter plants, who were condemned to not work because these people did not want to go out fishing.” According to the complainant, the strike would have generated losses close to 50 million dollars, due to the “non-use of sea resources” and the consequent brake on the entire production chain.
In his criticism, the author of the message addresses the Ministry of Labor: “And now as a reward the minister gives him three months, I don’t know if it’s paid vacation or it’s a way to finance the conflict.” According to him, the State is financing the same people responsible for paralyzing the industry, which he considers a serious precedent for future labor negotiations.
The fishing conflict has been without a solution for more than a month and a half. The boats remain moored, while the productive sectors associated with the sea are going through one of the toughest crises in recent years. Slaughter plants, which mainly employ women, were also idled. “More than a thousand women couldn’t work because these people didn’t want to go fishing,” cue the audio.
The message also mentions a particular case: “There have been 153 Zumba workers in that situation,” referring to a company or group of unemployed crew members, which generated even more controversy. The complainant affirms that, far from sanctioning the strike, the Ministry “reward” to those responsible with public money: “Instead of sanctioning the bad strike, the strike without reason, the Ministry’s response is to reward them with three months’ salary.”
The labor portfolio, headed by Juan Castillo, has been acting as a mediator in a conflict that has pitted seafarers and businessmen since June. The workers are demanding better conditions on board and a reduction in the long hours, which according to the unions reach 15 or 16 hours a day. The businessmen maintain that the claims are excessive and do not comply with the current agreement.
More than a dozen agreement proposals have been presented from the Ministry, but none were successful. In recent weeks, the situation worsened when employers did not attend the tripartite table convened by the labor authority. Meanwhile, ships remain closed and processing plants remain closed, with a growing economic impact.
The business sector denounces that the stoppage has caused the loss of at least 50 million dollars, a figure that coincides with that mentioned in the audio. Industrialists maintain that the inactivity of the port and the lack of raw materials seriously affect competitiveness and job creation. They also demand the review of unemployment insurance mechanisms, pointing out that they are being used to finance a prolonged conflict, which they consider “an abuse of state resources.”
The voice in the audio announces possible legal measures: “We are going to look at the legal aspects, but the first thing is for this to be known, because national public opinion must know the misuse of unemployment insurance instruments.” This approach opens a new chapter in the controversy, which could move to the judicial field if it is proven that there were irregularities in the granting of benefits to workers who remained on strike.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Labor has not issued a formal statement on the accusations. Meanwhile, business associations warn that the prolongation of the conflict puts at risk not only the income of the sector, but also the international reputation of the Uruguayan fishing industry.
What began as a labor claim over conditions on board thus transformed into a large-scale political and economic dispute. The stoppage affects hundreds of families, especially women who depend on slaughter plants, and has generated a debate about the correct application of unemployment insurance.
The country is watching closely how events unfold. For some, the conflict reveals an imbalance between labor rights and productive responsibilities; For others, it is a sign of the wear and tear of social dialogue. The truth is that, beyond the differences, the losses are enormous and the Uruguayan sea continues in silence, with the boats moored and the fishing industry adrift.
