Workers of Mejor Niñez Raise Alarm Over Salary Cuts Following Contraloría’s Ruling

Original article: Trabajadores de Mejor Niñez alertan merma salarial tras dictamen de Contraloría

Union organizations representing Mejor Niñez (Armepro, Anfusepna, Antrap) and Sename-Reiserción Juvenil (Armetrase) mobilized on Friday, November 27, in downtown Santiago to highlight the highly detrimental effects of the recent dictate E121666 issued by the Contraloría. 

The unions argue that this decree leads to significant salary reductions for employees working under shift systems during medical leaves, public holidays, or maternity leave, by not compensating for average overtime hours during these periods. 

According to the organizations, the measure impacts hundreds of workers—including direct care educators, tutors, monitors, shift coordinators, family life facilitators, drivers, food handlers, porters, and nursing technicians—whose roles are crucial to maintaining 24/7 operations in direct management centers. Due to the structural deficits with which both services operate, these teams are required to extend their shifts to 12, 24, or even 36 continuous hours.

It is important to note that the dictate issued by the Contraloría on July 19 of this year aimed to review and modify the previous interpretation regarding the payment of overtime for municipal employees in rotating shift systems. Specifically, it questioned whether these workers should receive extra pay during holidays, medical leaves, or paid leave when no effective work is performed.

The dictate establishes four main points: first, only hours actually worked should be paid as overtime; second, it is not appropriate to compensate for average overtime during periods of inactivity; third, it reviews and reorganizes previous legal precedents; and fourth, it emphasizes responsible use of public resources.

The unions contend that in practice, this ruling disregards essential elements of Chilean labor law, including rights related to social security, rest, and maternity protection.

The aim of this mobilization was to denounce this situation and demand that government authorities provide a solution favoring the workers by reinstating the payments currently intended to be denied. 

The protest advanced to the former National Congress, where the national director of Mejor Niñez was attending an event alongside his advisors. There, he was confronted by the workers, who warned him that the protest would escalate if a prompt solution is not provided for those fulfilling guaranteeing roles during shift schedules.