15 August, 2011
The Confederación Nacional de los Metalúrgicos (CNM) affiliated to the CUT trade union central, and globally to the International Metalworkers’ Federation (IMF), is mobilising workers for a 2011 wage campaign. The one-million-strong metalworker federation represents 50% of all Brazilian metalworkers, and is now pushing for deserved pay increases in collective agreements across the sector.
The campaign in São Paulo State was kick-started on 21 July when 2,000 unionists of 14 trade unions manifesting in front of Industry Federation of São Paulo (FIESP). CNM/CUT President Paulo Cayres addressed the gathering, along with the presidents of the 14 unions, representing 250,000 workers in the state.
Demands were delivered to the Industry Federation of the Minas Gerais region on 29 July.
Metalworkers of Sapiranga, Southern Brazil, settled on an 8% salary increase and 10% hike in the minimum wage, as well as solid improvements to social allowances, including education, child care, and pensions.
CNM/CUT President Paulo Cayres
ABC regional workers in São Bernardo rejected an offer last Tuesday from management and issued a strike warning.
Metalworkers of Itu, Porto Feliz, Boituva, and Cabreúva, 100 kilometres west of São Paulo, were organising united fronts at plants from 3-10 August, ahead of difficult bargaining with management.
United in the struggle for a fair wage increase, workers in the southern city of São Leopoldo halted production at two large companies in the area last week. Unionists linked arms at the gates of Rossi and Taurus 05, paralysing the sites for four hours on Thursday morning, 11 August. Similar scenes occurred in neighbouring Inpel on Wednesday 10 August, where a large mobilisation caused a one-and-a-half hour work stoppage.