The conflict between workers in the dairy industry and the business sector continues, and this Monday, as reported by Conaprole, the unionized workers in the Association of Workers and Employees of Conaprole (AOEC) stopped their activities in the Montevideo Industrial Complex (MIC). According to the company, the measures taken by the union have affected the packaging of fresh milk, thus causing its shortage.
Last Friday the Chamber of the Dairy Industry of Uruguay (CILU) had already announced the lack of by-products, such as desserts or yogurt, due to the conflict in the sector.
“The AOEC has always said that it guarantees the production of fresh milk, but in fact it is clear that this is not the case,” indicates a statement that the cooperative’s board of directors released on Monday among its staff.
In the document, to which he agreed The Observerit is explained that this Monday CIM officers handed over their personal radios and they refused to use that work tool, “trying to unilaterally modify the way in which they historically carry out the task.”
The company requested guards to solve problems due to the breakage of a fresh milk packaging machine and in the face of the workers’ refusal, supervisors were sent to make the necessary repairs and “The violent reaction of the union has been to stop the activities of the entire complex”is highlighted in the document.
40% salary increase
The conflict situation occurs in the midst of conversations between Conaprole and the union for technological updates and job categories within the CIM and Plant No. 8, the company explained, from where they highlighted that workers asked for a 40% wage increase.
The union is part of the Federation of Dairy Industry Workers (FTIL), which last week declared itself in conflict with the business chamber of the industry, awaiting progress in the negotiations for Salary Councils.
The members of the federation are working according to regulations, without overtime or changing sectors. Conaprole highlighted: “the distortive measures adopted more than 25 days ago imply much more than work to regulations. Because include stoppages, surprise assemblies and serious breaches of agreed work rules”.
The response to the measures
In an assembly held at the AOEC headquarters last week, the FTIL agreed to take more measures, including work stoppages and a blockade on exports, if there is no progress in the negotiations.
In the Conaprole statement this Monday, the board assured: “We will not accept threats, impositions or authoritarianismso we emphatically point out that these procedures are not, nor will they be, the way to achieve economic improvement, because that is not how the future is built”.
