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21 February, 2001José Domingos Cardoso, nicknamed "Ferreirinha," has passed away after an illness of several months.
BRAZIL: The international secretary of the IMF-affiliated Confederação Nacional dos Metalúrgicos (CNM/CUT) in Brazil, José Domingos Cardoso, better known as "Ferreirinha," which in Portuguese means the little blacksmith - his grandfather's profession, has passed away at the age of 60 after several months of struggle against cancer.
Ferreirinha was born in Araquari, a small city in a rural area of Santa Catarina state, in the south of Brazil. He started working as a child in a plant which manufactured vehicles. In 1959, when he was working as a metalworker in a company called Raimann, in Santa Catarina, he joined the Juventude Operária Cristã (JOC), a Catholic workers' youth movement.
In 1965, he was elected national president of the JOC. In 1970, he was arrested, together with many other leaders, including his wife Maria Irony, and two years later he and his wife left the country and went into exile in Europe. They returned to Brazil and started work to build up the new trade union movement in 1979.
In 1987, CUT won the election and took over the Metalworkers' Union of Rio, and Ferreirinha was voted in as leader of this union two years later. In 1991, he was elected the first international secretary of the newly established CNM/CUT.
Many within the IMF will miss a great friend.
Ferreirinha was born in Araquari, a small city in a rural area of Santa Catarina state, in the south of Brazil. He started working as a child in a plant which manufactured vehicles. In 1959, when he was working as a metalworker in a company called Raimann, in Santa Catarina, he joined the Juventude Operária Cristã (JOC), a Catholic workers' youth movement.
In 1965, he was elected national president of the JOC. In 1970, he was arrested, together with many other leaders, including his wife Maria Irony, and two years later he and his wife left the country and went into exile in Europe. They returned to Brazil and started work to build up the new trade union movement in 1979.
In 1987, CUT won the election and took over the Metalworkers' Union of Rio, and Ferreirinha was voted in as leader of this union two years later. In 1991, he was elected the first international secretary of the newly established CNM/CUT.
Many within the IMF will miss a great friend.