The Representative Table of the PIT-CNT decided to carry out a 24-hour national general strike on Thursday, September 15, under the slogan: “Against the model of inequality.”
The demand platform of the trade union center includes different aspects: “Against hunger and adjustment, for decent and quality work, for salary, against the pension reform, in defense of Collective Bargaining and in defense of public companies and their social role.
Very unfair
For his part, the Minister of Labor and Social Security, Pablo Mieres, told the press that the 24-hour national general strike ordered by the PIT-CNT is “very unfair.”
“The whole world is experiencing what they call famine, which is the increase in inflation, it is not an invention of Uruguay, it is a world problem that came to us from outside. What the government always wanted is to lower inflation. Unfortunately, the inflationary push is global,” said Mieres, who assured that “salary recovery is in process.”
Social Security
Regarding the rejection of the government’s draft bill, which proposes to gradually increase the retirement age from 60 to 65 years, the Secretary of State pointed out that the questions of the trade union are “against a draft that is not even finished yet to assemble and that is in consultation for the parties”.
“They will have a lot of time to carry out a general strike. If this becomes a bill and goes to Parliament, they have time to hold a general strike,” he said.
For Mieres, the general strike is an extreme measure. “I think that sometimes that use of the general strike for 24 hours makes it lose its forcefulness. In the end, the measure wears out. And it is just in case, in case the bill reaches Parliament”.
Collective negotiation
Regarding the salary negotiation guidelines for the sectors affected by the pandemic, the Ministry of Labor presented a salary negotiation proposal for the private sectors most affected by the pandemic, which includes: tourism, gastronomy and transportation. A four-year salary recovery is proposed, with semi-annual adjustments to expected annual inflation.
However, the PIT-CNT understands that it is a “very negative” proposal.
“The Executive Power had promised that during this administration there would be no loss of purchasing power, of real wages, and we have come with a wage cut since the moment of the pandemic. But in this case, criteria are proposed that in four years do not even manage to contemplate 100% of the CPI”, was expressed from the workers’ central.
However, Mieres considers that the PIT-CNT “is wrong.” He explained that “the guideline seeks a very difficult balance between workers who are very affected by the loss of real wages, and a business sector that is also very affected.”
The Secretary of State said that the government’s proposal implies complying with the recovery commitment, but in a long time frame, because companies must be given time to recompose themselves and assume the commitment not only to maintain purchasing power but also to to incorporate recovery quotas year after year”.
“I would love it if he could recover faster. But I also have to take into account the resilience of companies. If you push too hard, employment ends up falling, jobs are lost. It is better to delay a little, but that the situation continues to reactivate well, ”he pointed out.
On the other hand, he warned that the future tourist season will present difficulties from a commercial point of view, due to the situation in Argentina.
