Uruguay: Resounding strike against Luis Lacalle Pou’s adjustment policy | A million people demanded a salary hike and a bigger budget for housing and education

Uruguayan trade unions again challenged Louis Lacal Poe’s administration, with around a million people participating in a 24-hour strike. A bigger budget is needed for wage improvement and housing and education. Called by the central government to bring together the majority of trade unions and unions in the country PIT-CNTFourth General Strike after Lacalle Pou Assumption From March 2020 onwards The operation of major public activities of the country was suspended.

“A very powerful signal”

“This is a very powerful, very strong signal that the trade union movement is sending out,” insisted the head of the PIT-CNT. Marcelo Abdala, at a press conference. The president highlighted the participation of “more than a million Uruguayan men and women voluntarily” in the strike and highlighted “strong solidarity in the central administration, in all institutions, in the entire public and private education system. Public and private banking, in construction, throughout the manufacturing industry”.

Abdala approved it The strike did not affect traffic as units were moving around Although he said these vehicles were empty, based on the emergency plan developed by the companies. The trade unionist also noted that “conversations with population, neighborhoods and distribution of goods” were carried out across the territory, according to reports received by the central government from more than a hundred affiliates distributed across the country.

Abdala lamented, however GDP Uruguay has returned to pre-pandemic levels, Salaries and pensions “have not kept pace with growth, but supported a four per cent reduction in overall purchasing power”.. As he was able to reproduce CountryThe President asserted: “Indeed, People are not meeting the demand. This implies a strategy of deepening the inequality gap, and is seen as a pattern of exclusionary growth and accumulation for the few.

Not with food

Regarding the decision of education unions not to stand guard like other strikes, and teachers going to educational institutions to provide midday meals to children who depend on the service, Abdala said the situation is no different than a holiday.

In the same way, General Secretary of PIT-CNT and Secretary of FUM-TEP Teachers Union expressed himself, Elbia PereiraHe highlighted that Lunch at school has “a teaching function”. But as the need for that plate of food for many children has increased, it is the authorities who have to answer. “Of course It doesn’t have to be 365 days in a year, it just has to be responsibleBut don’t reserve it for government school functioning only on non-working days,” said Perera.

Meanwhile, National Security Minister Javier García announced on Twitter that the armed forces would coordinate with education authorities to support feeding students in the face of union action. “We can discuss among adults, but it will not be played in feeding traitors”For the leader of the PIT-CNT, García was condemned while announcing the initiative as coming “a little late,” as he told reporters.

“Exaggeration” in claims

And, in the meantime, the Minister of Labor and Social Security, from the Administration, Paul MyersThe move was considered unfair and unjustified, as one of the main demands of the labor movement was the demand for inflation, which the government was trying to reduce due to the global situation.

“I saw in the media in Germany, Spain, the United States that inflation is a big problem. It’s not the government’s decision, on the contrary, the government always has the policy and the intention to reduce inflation. , we live in a world where we are experiencing another situation,” Myers argued.

Further Minister Another demand of the strike was pointed out, after learning of the official initial plan of reform of the social security system, which the BID-CNT considered reactionary. “A comprehensive and dignified social security reform”.

“If it becomes a bill tomorrow or the day after, it is under discussion in Parliament and I understand that the trade union movement has not agreed. When there is a draft proposal for a general strike it seems to me that it is exaggerated“, Myers pointed out about the proposed plan, among other things Retirement age should be increased from 60 to 65.