17 August, 2016Brazil’s five trade union centres, including the CUT and Força Sindical, joined forces on 16 August in pursuit of a common goal: defend workers' rights.
“We reiterate our position that we do not accept any proposals or negotiations on the elimination of workers' rights and social security or on making labour relations more precarious,”
stated an official press release from the leaders of the Força Sindical, the CUT, the União Geral dos Trabalhadores, the Central dos Trabalhadores e Trabalhadoras do Brasil and the Nova Central Sindical de Trabalhadores.
Brazilian unions affiliated to IndustriALL in the CUT and the Força Sindical participated in the event. They stopped work and held rallies in the front of the offices of the main employers’ federations in all Brazil’s cities.
In recent months, workers have been campaigning against approval of congressional bills that would reduce workers' rights and benefits. They are also fighting mass dismissals, but despite their constant efforts and campaigns, the government seems to support the flexibilization of workers' rights and other laws that legalize precarious work.
“The National Day of Action is a warning to the government and employers. We will do everything possible to stop an increase in exploitation and a withdrawal of rights. This action is just one event on our path towards a general strike," said the CUT national president, Vagner Freitas.
The president of Força Sindical, Paulo Pereira da Silva, said:
"The employers meet with the government (executive, legislature and judiciary) and tell it that it must take into account the priorities of the reform, such as social security. The workers want to find ways to increase pensions, but the employers believe that the only way to achieve this objective is by reducing rights. We do not agree and we must oppose this."
At rallies held throughout Brazil, leaders stressed the importance of maintaining the unity of the trade union centres in defence of the working class, saying that together they have the strength necessary to deal with problems like the legalization of outsourcing and the extension of the working day.
IndustriALL assistant general secretary, Fernando Lopes, underlined the global union’s support for its Brazilian affiliates’ struggle for guarantees for rights, democracy and jobs.