Uruguay union halts production at Minerva and Marfrig plants
A labour union in Uruguay has stopped the slaughter of cattle in the Montevideo area until 8 April as part of negotiations over salaries and measures to protect workers from the ongoing pandemic.According to reporting in Reuters and the newspaper Valor Econômico, the stoppage affects Brazilian meatpackers Marfrig Global Foods and Minerva SA, which operate in Uruguay. The companies did not issue comments on Friday.
The move impacts Minerva’s Canelones and Carrasco plants, but its Pul unit outside Montevideo is still running. Minerva can guarantee 60 percent of its output in the country with the Pul unit alone, Valor reported.
On Thursday, Marfrig said that it would donate 48,000 cans of meat as part of an initiative to support communities in Uruguay during the novel coronavirus epidemic.
Marfrig has five plants in Uruguay and is the largest meatpacker and exporter there, employing 3,500 people.
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