The company announced that it has “serious problems” paying May salaries and refuses to pay presenteeism for days of unemployment.
The workers of Copsa They are on the verge of starting a new conflict due to the possibility that the company will once again owe salaries corresponding to May this time. In the midst of the crisis that affects the sector of suburban transportation in Uruguay, the National Union of Workers and Transport Workers (Unott) does not rule out forceful measures for next week, and even a general strike.
Despite having received the loan from Republic Bank (BROU) —as an advance from the trust that will be allocated to the suburban sector— that allowed it to regularize the debts with its workers just a few days ago, Copsa already announced that it faces serious problems in paying May salaries, so the conflict began a new stage .
But this is not the only problem that is back on the table: workers who went on leave were only paid 50% of their vacation salary. What is also added to the company’s refusal to pay the presenteeism as a result of the days of strike that took place last month. In response, Unott assures that the forceful measure was called by them, so the law protects the group of workers who joined; and, therefore, it is their responsibility to charge those days in the same way, along with presenteeism.
Given the resurgence of tensions, this Friday there will be a tripartite meeting in the National Labor Directorate. However, with this scenario, the Copsa union could take measures in the short term, which could even include a general strike summoned by Unott; although this would be the last measure to take.
The alternatives will be analyzed by the workers next Monday, depending on the results of the negotiation with the Ministry of Labor and Social Security (MTSS) and the company.
Debts that are maintained and accumulated
At the end of last month, the MTSS had to summon Copsa in response to the claim by the workers of 50% of the vacation wages owed, just days after the company paid the missing salary amounts corresponding to April, as well as food tickets and other unpaid duties that it had been carrying since 2021.
“We knew this could happen, but we didn’t think it would happen so quickly,” he said then. Miguel Marrero, Unott leader, in reference to the unusual situation. On May 23, the union had decided to lift the general transport strike following the principle of agreement between Copsa and its employees.
“The indignation that the colleagues have is enormous and absolutely logical,” lamented Marrero, who pointed out that the loan that the company agreed to last month was “more than enough” to face everything owed, according to the figures that were handled.
Source: Ambito
