Tulum Municipal Workers Protest Alleged Pay Deductions of Up to 1,500 Pesos

Tulum, Quintana Roo — Unionized employees of the Tulum municipal government have protested alleged irregular payroll deductions ranging from 300 to 1,500 pesos, amounts that vary by job category and seniority, and are demanding that the city honor its collective bargaining agreement.

Virgilio Quinil Canul, secretary general of the SUTSAT union representing city hall workers, said the dispute began when the municipality raised the savings fund withholding to 13 percent from the 7 percent previously deducted. According to the workers, the city applied the new rate to salaries that had already accounted for the earlier deduction, further reducing take-home pay.

Quinil Canul cited the case of a category C secretary who earned a net salary of 8,100 pesos in 2024 and 2025 after union and savings fund deductions. From January 2026, he said, new withholdings cut that employee’s pay by 594 pesos. He said the same pattern has affected workers in other job categories.

Union says talks stalled

“We are not asking for anything that isn’t ours. We are only demanding respect for the general working conditions that were signed to improve workers’ quality of life and finances, not to harm them,” Quinil Canul said, adding that the complaints have been filed through formal letters and requests for meetings since 2024.

Alejandro Baena, the union’s legal representative, said the size of the deductions depends on salary, years of service and the department where an employee works. He said the union wants the amounts withheld above what is legally permitted returned to workers.

Baena also rejected suggestions that the union has avoided negotiations, saying some meetings scheduled with the municipal president were rescheduled and later canceled.

Quinil Canul said benefits owed for 2026 are close to 90 percent resolved, but commitments from 2024 and 2025 remain outstanding, along with salary discrepancies. Workers have waited more than two years for answers, he said, and the demonstration is a pressure tactic over the lack of definitive agreements.

The union leader denied the protest has political aims and said his responsibility is to represent members’ labor interests. He noted that many employees start their shifts at 3:30 a.m. and that each worker supports a family.

The union has asked the governor of Quintana Roo, labor authorities and the competent court to step in, review the deductions and ensure the agreements are honored. Municipal representatives say they remain in contact with the union, but protesters insist the meetings have not fully resolved their demands.