Uruguay port conflict: Labor dispute disrupts Montevideo terminal

A prolonged labor dispute at the Terminal Cuenca del Plata (TCP) in the Port of Montevideo is causing significant operational disruptions in Uruguay. The conflict, centered on the signing of a new collective bargaining agreement between the operator Katoen Natie and the Sindicato Único Portuario y Ramas Afines (Supra), has led to multiple work stoppages and more than 40 days of intermittent operations.

Uruguayan business chambers and entities have expressed deep concern, noting that 15 of the last 16 months have seen interruptions at the terminal. They warn that the instability damages the country's economic growth, international image, and reliability for shipping lines. Pablo Genta, president of the Administración Nacional de Puertos (ANP), stated that such conflicts negatively impact the predictability and reliability that shipping companies require.

In response, the Ministry of Labor and Social Security (MTSS) is attempting to mediate through tripartite negotiations. While some progress has been made on the collective agreement, significant differences remain. The government recently established minimum services to maintain terminal operations, a move that the Supra union and the PIT-CNT central labor body have criticized as an infringement on the right to strike. The MTSS intends to present a new proposal to bridge the gap between the parties.