Members of the leadership of the Ministry of Labor and Social Security (MTSS) and representatives of the Single Union of Port Workers and Related Branches (SUPRA) and the Montecon union, met this Monday at 4:00 p.m., in order to analyze the progress of the negotiations, and at the same time, discuss the progress of the conflict to date. There, the minister Pablo Mieres and the undersecretary, Mario Arizti, presented an improved proposal in relation to the previous week. It consists of a special partial unemployment insurance for workers affected by the reduction in wages that Montecon provides. For the 106 Montecon workers that the company ordered to go to special unemployment insurance, there is a 70% subsidy, plus 20% for those with families. For those who are already working (250 employees) whose wages are reduced from 25 to 15, the MTSS also offers a special unemployment insurance, although the latter did not state what the subsidy would be (percentage of the salary to be received). Minutes later, the meeting, which ended around 7:30 p.m., had a word from Pablo Mieres at a press conference before the media. The Secretary of State said that “Today, the Ministry of Labor incorporated one more section to the special unemployment insurance, which is by reduction, which is what the drop in guaranteed wages implies. All this must culminate in an act that leaves all the contents of the agreement in writing”. Mieres confirmed that “there are no layoffs for now”, and reiterated that “Montecon has announced shipments to unemployment insurance due to suspension”. Regarding the number of employees that the announced measure reaches, Mieres said that it depends on Montecon, and as of June 1st.
What resulted from the meeting with the authorities of the Ministry of Labor, the content and its conclusions. they are informed and shared this Tuesday the 17th, in an assembly that takes place within the Executive Committee. Álvaro Reinaldo, general secretary of SUPRA, said at a press conference that they preferred not to make comments to the press, until said instance is carried out , since they consider that they do not want to create expectations among the workers, who have been going through days of uncertainty. He did affirm that “new elements appeared on the table, which we believe are very favourable”, and added that today, starting at 13:00, the workers of the Montecon union are also meeting in an assembly, in order to analyze the mentioned points.
Yesterday, Monday, from 7:00 p.m., a 24-hour strike began in the public sector of the National Ports Administration (ANP). Consulted about this measure, sources from the Port Union explained that the resolution responds to the stoppage schedule set for sectors and companies, weeks ago by the Executive Committee. “The sector that was missing was from the National Ports Administration. Now in the afternoon there was a meeting with the Ministry of Labor, but until after noon today, Monday the 16th, there was no news, and the deadline expired at 7:00 p.m. We will see what comes out of the meeting,” the source told Diario La R, in the last day about the hour 15.45. It should be noted that as the hours passed, and due to weather warnings, there were no operations at the port, so the strike existed but had practically no incidence or consequences.
The SUPRA source explained that the truce to which the workers had agreed, and which was requested by the Ministry of Labor and Social Security last Saturday the 14th, expired this Monday the 16th at 6 pm.
Last day, and while there was no news at noon, the union made public opinion known through its social networks, a statement in which it stated that due to the lack of progress in the negotiations, it communicates the measures to carry out a 24-hour strike in the ANP, until 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday the 17th, and also “continue with the stoppage in the Montecon company as the main affected.” It was also resolved to maintain the requirement for the Executive Branch to “specify solutions to the jobs affected by the application of decrees No. 114/21 and 115/21.”
Until last day, the main difference in the conflict was the number of monthly wages insured by Montecon, which was reduced from 25 to 15. The workers claimed that just as the company requested a period of 90 days to resume operations before continuing with the dismissal schedule, for that time the reduction in wages will not be applied so as not to affect the income of 250 workers.
