One of the fifteen workers met in the small town of Puntas de Maciel and signed the articles of incorporation of the trade union and decided to become part of the National Union of Rural Workers (Unatra), which is a member of the workers’ central of Uruguay PIT-CNT.

This process of organization began a few months ago, and met many obstacles on the way.

On July 7, Ebelio González and all his family were fired from the dairy farm of Francisco Crosa, where he worked, as a result of his attempt to become part of the trade union to demand the enforcement of the 8-hour labor law for rural workers, passed in December by the Uruguayan Parliament.

The unjustified repression was reported in court and to the Ministry of Labor and the press, and it generated immediate expressions of solidarity in the workers’ movement.

Finally, on August 21, a judge of Florida requested the reinstatement of the worker and forced Crosa to pay the outstanding salaries since July.

The ruling was appealed by the lawyers of the employer, but it was useful to ease fears of the rural workers of the area, who, despite receiving threats, decided to consolidate a trade union to demand the enforcement of their rights.