Delayed Payments for Police Officers
Uruguayan police officers are facing a delay in their salary payments, with 222 officers still waiting for their pay since mid-January. The Montevideo Police Headquarters, responsible for managing these payments, has cited a lack of liquidity due to unpaid contractor fees as the reason for the delay.
This is not an isolated incident, as similar delays have occurred in previous months. The issue persists, and police officers are growing increasingly concerned about their financial situation.
In a recent development, the Montevideo Headquarters has stated that it will not assign police officers to work at the upcoming classic match between Nacional and Peñarol on Sunday unless the Uruguayan Football Association (AUF) settles its outstanding debt. The AUF owes a significant amount of money for police services, which is affecting the payment of police officers’ salaries.
The Police Department intends to deploy nearly 500 officers to the Centenario stadium on Sunday, but the absence of the 222 officers may impact the event’s security. The AUF’s debt, although substantial, is reportedly lower than that of other organizations, such as the State Health Services Association (ASSE), which owes USD 13 million.
Concerns and Consequences
Police officers in Uruguay often work additional hours under a special contract service, known as “222.” Despite their regular working hours, they have not received their salaries for this extra work, with the payment date typically being the 15th or 16th of each month. As of January 24th, the officials had not received their pay, prompting concerns from the Association of Police Officers and the Single Union of Police of Uruguay (SUPU).
The Ministry of the Interior has informed the Association of Police Officers that the necessary funds have been received, and payments are expected to be made this Saturday. However, police officials and the SUPU are urging the authorities to ensure timely payments, citing poor management and ineffective collection of fees from contractors.
The SUPU leader, Ricardo González, has emphasized that the issue lies with the authorities, not the workers, and has expressed concern about the situation. The SUPU plans to request a payment schedule for the salaries of services 222, which are paid in addition to the regular salary for services rendered to the Ministry of the Interior.