10 November, 2011UNTMRA thanks unions for their international support and solidarity, which helped to bring the strike to a successful conclusion after more than 25 days. The union says the struggle increased unity among metalworkers at the national level.
Uruguay. After 25 days on strike and a 15 month battle to negotiate a collective agreement, Uruguay metalworkers have signed a preliminary agreement after long negotiations with employers and the government.
The National Metalworkers' Union (UNTMRA) said that the struggle "achieved much greater unity among workers and also pushed the basic rate up to $73 pesos per hour (workers had been receiving 60 pesos per hour). The hourly rates for other categories will go up to 83, 89, 94, 105, 121 and 141 pesos respectively, more than many workers imagined they could achieve. We won a pay rise of 3% plus inflation (the consumer price index, CPI, is approximately 4% to 5%), making a total pay rise of around 7%, to be paid six-monthly. We were aiming for a minimum wage of $14.000 pesos but we achieved more than this", said Juan Alfonso, leader of UNTMRA.
Employers also agreed to take on workers older than 55. UNTMRA explained that the retirement age for men is 60 in Uruguay and they already find it more difficult to get a job by the age of 40. Employers also agreed not to avoid employing young people because of their lack of experience and agreed to encourage the recruitment of workers under the age of 22 in the metalworking sector.
The collective agreement also provides for a worker-employer financed Social Fund to be spent, for example, on education, health care, sports, etc. for workers' families.
Juan Alfonso said: "We are proud of what we have achieved with this agreement, but also of the support and fighting spirit shown by the workers. Without them we are nothing and would be able to do nothing.
We took a very important step forward in the struggle but we must continue to make progress. Thanks to all the colleagues who circulated news about the dispute and thanks to the unions throughout America, such as FANAMEPSICOP (Peru), CNM/CUT (Brazil), FETRAMECOL (Colombia), Asociación Obrera (Argentina), CONSTRAMET (Chile), STIMAHCS (México), CNMM and CUT MINERA (Peru), Honda Union (México), the French Federation of Metalworkers and all IMF affiliates for their support".