Original article: Trabajadores de residencias de protección a la niñez protestaron en Santiago: Exigen normar pago de turnos de hasta 24 horas

Childcare Workers Protest in Santiago: Demand Regulation for Long Shifts Pay

After months of negotiations aimed at securing compensation for staff working extended shifts in children’s care residences, employees from the Specialized Child Protection Service staged a demonstration outside the offices of this service, which falls under the Ministry of Social Development and Family.

Representatives from Anfusepna – the National Association of Employees of the National Specialized Child and Adolescent Protection Service – explained that the conflict stems from administrative delays affecting these critical payments for workers caring for infants and vulnerable children during shifts lasting 12 to 24 hours, often involving demanding care for hospitalized children or minors in conflict with the law.

«Although these wages were promised to be paid during the second semester of this year, there have been no results. Adding to this scenario is the strict criterion applied by the Comptroller’s Office, which deducts pay from employees for public holidays or medical leave,» questioned the union organization.

Regarding the protest held at Amunategui corner Alameda in downtown Santiago, Anfusepna president Nelson Barraza remarked that «it took place amid unacceptable uncertainty, with an administrative resolution processed at the last minute and right on the deadline.»

«We had to mobilize to demand what had been promised to us because we were not going to allow bureaucracy to interfere with the wages of teams already operating at the limit due to workload demands,» emphasized Barraza.

The leader indicated that while the authority released some payments at the end of last weekend’s protest, due to loopholes in the regulatory decree, the payment for night shift residential care staff remains pending, alongside the establishment of a calendar for back payments to address amounts owed, among other recognitions needed to ensure operational continuity in these centers.

The service has committed to definitively resolve these issues, agreeing on November 19 as the deadline.

«This struggle is not over. This was just the first step. We will persist to ensure that these agreements and commitments, which are still outstanding and have greatly impacted the homes of those protecting vulnerable children, are fulfilled,» underscored the president of Anfusepna.

We will continue to provide updates.