The Montecon company that operates in the Port of Montevideo announced the sending of 120 workers to unemployment insurance for a period of 90 days and announced that as of June it will reduce the insured wages to 15.
In this way, the company added a new measure In the midst of the conflict that the announcement generated, the dismissal of 150 workers and the salary reduction of 50% of those who would remain in the workforce. Although Montecon, in the midst of negotiations with the government, decided to postpone the dismissals, Now he assures that the only way to normalize the situation is by reestablishing the “free competition” regime..
“If this does not occur within the aforementioned period of ninety days, Montecon must, unfortunately, continue with the employee termination plan duly announced.”, says the statement released this Wednesday.
The company indicates that the agreement of the Executive Branch with Terminal Cuenca del Plata (80% owned by the Belgian company Katoen Natie) and the changes to the berthing decree reduced its operations in the port and, therefore, they are forced to downsize your workforce.
The port union carried out a 24-hour strike last week, while these days it is carrying out sectoral strikes while negotiating with the company and the government.
The Ministry of Labor proposed unemployment insurance for one year and the absorption of part of the workers who would be left without their jobs. However, this proposal was rejected by the union, which has approved a 72-hour strike, although it has not yet been set.
The conflict in the port occurs in the middle of the peak of the soybean harvest and agre-exporters are concerned about a possible increase in costs.
