4 September, 2019Workers at General Motors' São José dos Campos plant have launched a campaign for job security, days after the car giant fired 17 people.
In February this year, General Motors (GM) signed an agreement with the union, promising to pay workers 2,500 Brazilian Real (US$ 600) with no deductions. Not all workers received the payment, but after the union threatened to go on strike, GM management agreed to comply with the signed agreement.
In the February agreement, GM also committed to investing in the plant.
However, on 23 August, GM fired 17 workers at its São José dos Campos plant. According to the union, Sindicato dos Metalúrgicos de São José dos Campos, affiliated to CSP Conlutas, GM laid off staff in an attempt to boost profits by replacing current employees with lower-paid workers.
“The firings happened as GM announced they were taking on new workers, just before the weekend to try to avoid attention,” said Luiz Carlos Prates, member of CSP Conlutas' governing body.
In response, union members decided to launch a campaign to fight for job security.
In a meeting with GM management on 29 August, the union called on GM to make the investments promised in February and to guarantee their job security.
IndustriALL Global Union's regional secretary, Marino Vani, said:
We support the workers in their struggle.
At the latest regional meeting for GM workers, we committed to ensure that the company complies with the agreements it has signed and that it doesn't seek to meet its profit targets by creating more precarious working conditions.