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Citizens reject the companies' attempts to reduce wages and dismiss workers.
Uruguay's National Union of Transport Workers (UNOTT) Friday began a 48-hour strike to reject wage cuts and collective dismissals from the transport companies.
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UNOTT leader Juan Arellano said they decided to suspend their services due to the lack of progress in the negotiations with the transportation companies. Up to now, they have not agreed on any term for a salary reduction.
"We want to have guarantees that workers who are currently employed by these companies will not be fired," Arellano mentioned
"We also ask to rotate those who are unemployed, so they are not always the same. As of now, the companies have not collaborated," he added.
By launching the first Circular Economy Award in the Latin America and Caribbean region - #UruguayCircular2019 - and through its National Circular Economy Action Plan launched in 2019 #Uruguay is boosting #circulareconomy promoting productive innovation and economic development. pic.twitter.com/Y26xBKIXNw
— UN PAGE (@_un_page) August 9, 2020
The union expects its strike to have a significant impact as all the transportation services from the capital's central terminal to other departments were interrupted.
The UNOTT points out that it refuses to agree on any salary reduction as the transportation companies have not agreed to issue annual licenses, pay owed holiday wages and bonuses, and preserve the entire workforce during the pandemic.
Workers from other sectors joined the protest at the Independence Square. Public health workers asked for better working conditions and the Union of Chemical Industry Workers (STIQ) requested quality jobs.
As of Friday morning, Uruguay had reported 1,409 COVID-19 cases and 37deaths.
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