The State government’s call to suspend work this Tuesday—due to the extreme rains that have affected Yucatán in recent days—was well-intentioned, according to Pedro Oxté Conrado, a veteran leader of the Revolutionary Confederation of Workers and Peasants (CROC).
However, he acknowledged that the measure also created uncertainty among workers and businesses regarding the advisability of whether or not to report to their workplaces.
“In reality, these rains have been atypical. They caught us all off guard in some way—for some, the impact wasn’t very drastic, but for others, it certainly was, particularly in our homes,” he noted.
The union leader indicated that Tuesday morning passed without any significant rainfall—a situation that stood in contrast to the forecasts that had prompted the government’s advisory.
Nevertheless, shortly after 6 p.m., a downpour—accompanied by lightning—struck Mérida once again.
“For instance, right now I’m at the office working. And the weather is certainly suitable for working,” Oxté Conrado remarked at the time of the interview.
In his view, the primary difficulty lies in the fact that there is no absolute certainty regarding how weather conditions will evolve.
“The call to refrain from reporting to work is indeed a bit complicated, because one doesn’t know exactly whether the weather conditions will actually hinder or help productivity,” he stated.
Oxté Conrado noted that some workers expressed dissatisfaction after being asked to report for work despite the announcement regarding the suspension.
Nevertheless, he assured that, thus far, the organization has not received any formal reports of conflicts or irregularities related to the measure.
“We haven’t received any reports. I’ve been keeping a close watch from the CROC offices, and I haven’t received any reports—which suggests that everyone is working as usual,” he affirmed.
The union leader pointed out that the State Executive’s recommendation was directed primarily at non-essential activities, while various sectors continued to operate—including gas distribution, which is considered an essential service. Furthermore, he warned that the suspension of activities due to weather conditions is not specifically provided for under the Federal Labor Law; consequently, employee absences could result in wage deductions in the absence of a prior agreement with either the unions or the employers.
In light of this, he explained that the CROC opted to continue operations as long as weather conditions permitted, while retaining the option to allow personnel to leave early should the rainfall intensify during the workday.
Oxté Conrado reiterated that the organization’s priority is to safeguard its workers; therefore, they remain vigilant regarding any changes in weather conditions and any reports that may emerge throughout the remainder of the day.
Source: yucatan
