LUMIN workers: SUNCA denounces salary differences and lack of working conditions
The Single National Union of Construction and Annexes (SUNCA) declared the pre-conflict in the works carried out within the LUMIN plant, in Cerro Largo, in the face of a series of labor claims that, according to the union, involve salary inequalities, deficiencies in safety and inadequate sanitary conditions.
The leader of SUNCA, Roque Calcagno, explained that the conflict arises from the situation of about 60 people who work in subcontracted companies, including Trimec and Serinco, which provide services at the LUMIN plant. “These workers are registered in group 8 (metallurgy) when they should be in group 9 (construction), because they carry out construction tasks,” Calcagno pointed out.
According to the union member, this difference in categorization causes significant economic damage: “The colleagues are earning 20 to 30 thousand pesos less per fortnight, doing exactly the same work as other workers from companies like Ingenier,” he stated.
In addition to the salary issue, the leader mentioned other problems that had been resolved last year, but reappeared, such as “the irrigation of the streets due to dust, and the lack of medical attention in the LUMIN infirmary, where a worker who suffered a pressure spike was recently not treated.”
Calcagno recalled that there is a decree signed in 2010 between the Construction Business Chamber and SUNCA, which establishes that when a group 8 company begins to work on a construction site, its employees must automatically move to group 9. “It is also appropriate in this case, because the majority of the task carried out is construction,” held.
The union has already held several instances of negotiation. “We went to the Ministry of Labor for the fourth time; the first meeting was bipartite at the FOCAP, where not the ministry participated but the business side. We made progress in one of the meetings, and yesterday we went with the Trimec delegates and colleagues from the department to sign a pre-agreement,” Calcagno related.
This pre-agreement provided for two options: the transfer of workers to group 9, or failing that, keeping them in group 8 but with a retroactive salary adjustment from entering the work. However, according to Calcagno, the company ultimately refused to sign: “They refused everything, despite having made a prior commitment. They alleged that the contract they have does not allow them to pay that. We told them that when they signed the contract, the workers did not participate, and when the profits are large, they do not share them with us either.”
A hearing is scheduled for next Friday at DINATRA, this time with the participation of the Higher Salary Council, where it is expected to advance a definition. “Today in the assembly, the workers declared all the companies that work in LUMIN – Berker, Ingenier, Trimec, Serinco and other smaller companies – in pre-conflict, waiting for what is resolved on Friday. And on Monday, mobilizations or strikes are not ruled out, depending on the result of that hearing,” the leader warned.
