Brazil’s Foreign Ministry denied in a statement that diplomats have joined the strike affecting various sectors of that organ. The Foreign Ministry also said that all Brazilian consulates abroad are working normally.
Since August 22, Foreign Ministry officials, assistants and staff from various departments joined the strike. According to the Foreign Ministry, there are 428 chancery officers and 312 assistants serving overseas.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ National Union of Servants (Sinditamaraty) and ministry don’t agree on the number of consulates that joined the strike partly or fully. Sinditamaraty says they are 38. The Foreign Ministry reports 26.
According to the union, some of the services provided by consulates of Brazil abroad may be affected, such as issuing visas and passports and release of documents, and the legalization of certificates and diplomas for Brazilians interested in studying overseas. In Los Angeles, the consulate seems to be open for business as usual.
There is no information on the number of employees who joined the strike. The servants demand guarantee of payment of allowances for the department’s officers and assistants when they retire. Currently, only diplomats have that right assured.
According to the union, the starting salary of an officer of chancery is US$ 3.100 and US$ 1,600 that of an assistant. A diplomat starting his career receives about US$ 4,500. The Sinditamaraty also demands adjustment to lost wages in the last 25 years.
