Katoen Natie communicated the suspension of truck service throughout the entire weekend of Saturday 8 and Sunday 9 August, a measure that will remain in effect until further notice on Monday 10.
The stoppage responds to the decision of the Union of Workers of Terminal Cuenca del Plata (TCP-Nelsury) not to resume their work until holding a new assembly, in continuity with the session begun at 12:30 on Friday 7.
“After several meetings in which progress had been recorded, the union has once again raised the reduction of the working day without loss of salary, recently agreed for the construction sector. Likewise, it has reiterated its request to substantially increase the number of guaranteed daily wages, regardless of whether or not there is effective work,” reported the terminal operator.
“TCP considers it necessary to clarify that the agreement reached in construction was negotiated within the scope of the Salary Councils of that sector. Therefore, its terms cannot be transferred or automatically imposed in a collective negotiation for a bipartite agreement,” it added.
“The reiteration of these demands, under current conditions, once again constitutes a significant obstacle to good-faith negotiation to reach a viable and sustainable agreement,” Katoen Natie stressed.
It should be recalled that among the union’s main demands stand out the guarantee of a minimum of daily wages, job stability in the face of operational reorganization, and the adaptation of working conditions in light of the modernization and automation of the terminal.
The union’s strike measures -which include surprise stoppages and assemblies- have caused delays in the loading and unloading of containers at the Port of Montevideo.
The partial interruption affected foreign trade logistics, forced the rescheduling of calls for several vessels, and raised alarms in foreign trade chambers over the increase in operating costs.
