Riviera Maya, Q.R. — Dump truck drivers working the southern Maya Train sections say the pay being offered is too low. The driver’s local union says the pay offered is 40 percent less than what was requested several weeks ago.
Ismael Flores Cauich from the Revolutionary Confederation of Workers and Farmers (Croc) union, says they are being offered pay as much as 40 percent under what they requested to provide the service to companies constructing the Maya Train.
Flores Cauich says the situation is being seen in section 5 north and south, as well as section 6. He says that while 40 percent below asking is too low, they are willing to negotiate for 20 percent less.
He says that the construction companies “haggle” the prices and have even hired companies from Mexico City and Campeche.
“The award of projects that brings dump trucks from other parts such as Mexico City and Campeche has lead us to seek meetings with the Quintana Roo Mobility Institute since there is no order and they are displacing the local companies for the lowest cost offered,” he explained.
According to Flores Cauich, there are around 800 local Quintana Roo tucks available to work those Maya Train sections. He says that progress on the train project has increased the demand for the trucks, but these trucks are not working since the construction companies do not want to pay the Quintana Roo prices.
“There is no margin, especially with the military who carry out the work, who do not pay more which has also lead us to be in our position,” he added. The biggest problem, he explained, is for example, they want to pay 60,000 pesos to hire the service that costs 110,000 pesos.
He says this situation, which is not only with their sector, is affecting the progress of the mega infrastructure project.
