Cancun, Q.R. — A large group gathered outside Cancun City Hall Wednesday protesting unpaid wages by their employer, Inteligencia México. Those protesting accused the city of Cancun of failing to fully pay Inteligencia México, which in turn, means they have not been paid.
The group also demanded the reinstatement of the concessionaire for the city’s garbage collection, reiterating that they have not been paid since December 15.
However, city hall was quick to respond to the angry group, confronting them with copies of the documents that show full payment to Inteligencia México on behalf of the municipality.
The city’s general secretary Flor Ruiz Cosío and Benito Juarez trustee Heyden Cebada Rivas, provided the documents to their union representative Armando Cobián, showing the last full payment of nearly two million peso to Inteligencia México.
“Not a penny is owed to Intelligence Mexico and the work of these people is not being blocked,” he said adding that workers of Inteligencia México have been invited to work for the city’s current garbage collection company, Red Ambiental, whose workforce is made up of approximately 60 percent of former Inteligencia México employees.
“Even the union leader himself has attended these meetings and knows very well that they have priority in hiring, a topic that he avoided addressing,” Heyden Cebada Rivas pointed out in front of the group.
He explained to the Inteligencia México workers that now, it is a legal matter in which a judge recently allowed the city to contract, through a third party, a company to take charge of the garbage collection after Intelligence Mexico breached their contract.
Flor Ruiz Cosío added that a provisional suspension of protection exists, which is why Inteligencia México is prevented from continuing with the garbage collection service in the municipality.
“Until the last day of the intervention, Intelligencia México was paid just under two million pesos,” she said.
The general secretary reminded their union head that city council has covered all its debts with the concessionaire and that the company has to cover the outstanding salaries and benefits of their workers.
She also said that 70 people from Intelligencia México have already been hired by Red Ambiental, since there is “priority” for people who have experience in the garbage collection process.
Flor Ruiz added that so far, Red Ambiental has a nine-month provisional contract to collect the city’s garbage.
“Only Red Ambiental is going to operate unless a judge tells us otherwise,” she said.
While on site, Inteligencia México workers denied intentionally blocking the landfill, instead claiming they are there with their units waiting to be allowed access.