It has been 24 hours since the San Cristóbal de las Casas Municipal Workers’ Union (SUTRAM) declared a work stoppage due to the lack of payment of food vouchers for the year 2024, as well as the payment of overtime owed by the city council. The current director of municipal cleaning, Mario Utrilla, allegedly forced cleaning workers to work outside their established hours, without paying them the corresponding payment. This Friday, the strike continues, while piles of garbage continue to accumulate in the streets of the city.
The San Cristóbal de las Casas City Council, chaired by teacher Fabiola Ricci Diestel, faces the demands of municipal cleaning workers, who demand payment of food vouchers and overtime that have not been covered. The unionized staff claims that, although Utrilla forced them to work outside their schedule, they were not paid for these extra hours, which has generated a labor dispute.
During a tour of several streets in San Cristóbal de las Casas, it was observed that large amounts of garbage continue to accumulate, which generates a foul odor that affects citizens. The municipal cleaning department must address this situation urgently. In addition, the more than 200 unionized workers expect the mayor to release the food vouchers that correspond to them. The accumulation of waste is not only causing a bad smell, but is also affecting the image of the colonial city, especially for visitors who come to San Cristóbal.
On the other hand, the Independent Union of Municipal Workers (SITRAM) has hired a dump truck to collect the tons of garbage, although it is not enough to solve the problem. Even though SITRAM suspended the salaries of 10 of its workers, they continue working to clean the streets. In this context, some citizens are taking their garbage bags to the corners, which further complicates the situation. The population is urged to wait for the garbage collectors to ring the bell and not to take out the garbage outside of hours to avoid further inconveniences.
Source: elheraldodechiapas
