Uruguay: Labor unions to strike March 23

Event

Workers affiliated with the Inter-union Plenary of Workers-National Convention of Workers (Plenario Intersindical de Trabajadores-Convencion Nacional de Trabajadores, PIT-CNT), a major confederation of labor unions, will hold a nationwide strike March 23. As part of the strike, unionized healthcare workers will only attend to emergencies and care for cancer patients, canceling other types of appointments. Employees of private educational institutions will also join the strike, though the PIT-CNT has said it will allow its individual constituent organizations to decide whether to extend the strike to public schools and universities. Additionally, unionized bank employees will stop working at 13:30, and, in Montevideo, they will march from the Executive Tower to the Legislative Palace. Other striking workers in Montevideo will rally at the Universidad de la Republica at 09:00 before marching on Calle Daniel Fernandez Crespo to the Legislative Palace.

The strike and associated marches are likely to cause business and transport disruptions. Though the labor action will probably be peaceful, police are likely to deploy to protest sites.

Advice

Avoid all protests as a precaution. Allow additional time to reach destinations if operating near protest sites or march routes. Heed the instructions of authorities.