Brazil – GM Workers of São Caetano Factory, Continue Strike Against Contract Suspension

Last updated on October 18th, 2021 at 11:44 am

Brazil – Since the start of 2021, the livelihood of the working class has seriously worsened in Brazil. Automakers have been making up for the instability brought about by the worldwide shortage of auto parts through the pandemic time frame by reducing work expenses. 

On Thursday, laborers at General Motors cast a ballot predominantly to proceed with their strike started on October 1. They resisted a choice by the Regional Labor Court (TRT) on Friday, which proclaimed the strike as illegal.

The strike at the São Caetano plant, which utilizes 7,600 workers, was announced after months in which GM laborers work contracts were suspended in Brazil to save expenses. The laborers in São Caetano had been working for over a month on their lapsed agreement. 

 The government’s demand for a new normal after the covid surge, including the already bad living conditions of the working-class, has increased resistance in Brazil.

As of late, strikes over the worsening living conditions were also led by municipal workers in São Paulo, metalworkers in Paraná, Jurong shipyard laborers in Espírito Santo, and app delivery employees throughout Brazil.

Studies have revealed that since Dec 2020, the more significant part of the Brazilian populace has faced price hikes in food and fuel, which has gravely impacted their livelihood.

The Brazilian government’s crisis aids amid the coronavirus pandemic—which had as of now been sliced down the middle and ended for a considerable number of beneficiaries—will conclusively end this month, leaving 39.8 million more without the income.

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In January, Ford had shut all of its factories in Brazil, leaving thousands jobless, also suspended several thousand work contracts.

Renault will lay off 300 laborers in Paraná for five months, and for 250 employees, they have introduced a new voluntary dismissal program.

In the new agreement proposition, GM requested cuts in specialists’ pay and advantages, including cutting food stamps given by the organization by the more significant part and finishing position security for harmed laborers. 

The TRT labor court on Thursday introduced a less forceful adaptation of the assaults demanded by the organization and set up a daily fine of 50,000 reais (US$ 9,158) against the workers union for every day the strike proceeds. 

The laborers disapproved of the treatment and forced fine. The voting to proceed with the strike came following weeks of attempts by the São Caetano Metalworkers Union to check and overcome their struggle. 

The Metalworkers Union of São Caetano has stated that they have met with the organization for a long time to discuss the best conditions to break the workers’ resistance. 

However, similar to John Deere in the United States, GM laborers in Brazil should shape associations autonomous of the unions, panels selected by the majority, to convey their strife.

Autoworkers and employees from different segments in Brazil should come together and create the International Workers Alliance of Rank-and-File Committees (IWA-RFC) to battle this labor crisis.