The Maldonado Business Chamberchaired by José Pereyra, expressed his rejection of the demonstration planned by the Uruguayan Banking Association (AEBU) for Friday of next week and pointed out that the measure “attempts against workers in sectors linked to tourism in the department.”
“For the business association that we are part of, the purpose of this AEBU initiative is to carry out an underhanded protest of a recreational activity such as enjoying the beaches of Punta del Este during the carnival weekend,” said the statement entitled “union tourism” and spread this Tuesday through Twitter.
In the text, the members point out that the dates agreed to carry out the mobilization are “harmful for the productive apparatus” of Maldonado, which, they understand, has already faced other difficulties from the covid-19 pandemic.
“It is for this reason that the Business Chamber of the department of Maldonado, attending to the work and the problems that the people are experiencing, (…) by unanimous vote, exposes its rejection of the measures taken by the union that represents the bankers” , states the letter.
The measure is part of the conflict that the official banking sector is currently carrying out in rejection of the salary adjustment ordered by the Executive Power for 2022, and the lack of progress in other claims.
A central point of difference between the union and the Executive Power lies in the salary adjustment ordered by the government for official banks in 2022. That adjustment consists of an increase of 5.8%, tied to projected inflation.. The formula is complemented with corrections for 2023 and 2024 corresponding to the difference between the projected inflation and the actual inflation.
AEBU maintains that there is a salary loss of approximately 3% generated in 2021, and the government says it cannot compensate her immediately. In addition, it is considered that the proposal of a 5.8% adjustment in force since January implies a salary drop that would also be below the adjustment offered to the other state unions. These would have a 1.2% recovery of the loss suffered in January 2021, and would arrive on this basis at an adjustment of 7% in 2022.
The banking union will invite other public unions that make up the Coordinating Table of State Entities (MSCE) and that currently also have points of conflict with the Executive Power to participate in the march. Among them are the unions of Ancap, UTE, OSE, Sutel and COFE, among others.
Other points of the union platform include the entry of personnel and that the National Housing Agency be incorporated into the collective agreement of the sector.
Antía rejects the measure
The mayor of Maldonado, Enrique Antíastated at a press conference a few weeks ago that he did not agree with the mobilization reaching the main resort in the middle of the season, taking into account that “people have been out of work for two years” and “beginning to make the day’s work.”
The chief stated that “Those who don’t risk anything come”because they have “little money insured in their pockets with much higher salaries” to what they earn employees, merchants or waiters, who have a few days to take advantage of the season, according to FM Gente de Maldonado.
In that sense, he recalled that in the past —when he was also mayor (summer 2002) and before a similar union measure—, another place in Maldonado was agreed for the demonstration to take place without affecting labor activity in the coastal zone.
