Brazil’s Bank Workers End Longest Strike Ever

Assemblies of Brazilian bank employees in 22 capitals decided to halt a strike that lasted over thirty days, the longest in the history of the category. The union in the state of Acre is meeting today to decide whether to continue the strike.

Florianópolis, in the state of Santa Catarina, was the only capital in which bank employees voted not to return to work, but they are holding a new assembly today.


According to Vagner Freitas, President of the National Confederation of Bank Employees (CNB), the decision to suspend the strike represents another attempt to “crack the intransigence of the bankers and reopen negotiations.”


The CNB wants to hold a new round of negotiations with the bankers before the strike is judged by the Federal Labor Court (TST), next Thursday, October 21.


That same day the National Day of Struggle is also set to take place, for which the Confederation has indicated the organization of protests and strikes all over the country.


According to Freitas, “if the proposals are not good for the workers, the strike should be resumed.”


Bank employees are asking for a 19% raise, a bonus of US$ 525 (1,500 reais), a profit-sharing quota equal to one month’s salary plus US$ 420 (1,200 reais), and payment for the days lost as a result of the strike.


The National Federation of Banks (Fenaban) holds to the proposal it made on September 8: an 8.5% raise based on the salaries paid in August.


For employees who receive up to US$ 525 (1,500 reais), an additional fixed value of US$ 10.50 (30 reais) is being offered, over and above the 8.5% raise.


Agência Brasil
Translator: David Silberstein

Tags:

You May Also Like

Brazil’s Embargo-Proof Cattle

Brazil’s Ministry of Agriculture and cattle ranchers are joining forces in an effort to ...

Brazil Has High Hopes for Mercosur-Arab Accord

The creation of a free trade agreement between the Mercosur, customs union of the ...

Brazilian Software Teaches English in the US

A company from Curitiba, in the southern Brazilian state of Paraná, is teaching Lebanese ...

Brazil Is Sending Technicians to Help Chavez Deal with Energy Crisis

President Hugo Chavez of Venezuela, faced with serious electricity and water problems,  has asked ...

State Controlled Prices in Brazil Expected to Soar

Following a series of sucessive drops in inflation expectations, the latest weekly market survey ...

Pataxó Indian from Bahia, in the Brazilian Northeast

Brazilian Pataxí³ Indians Go to Brasí­lia to Get Lands Back

A group of 15 Pataxó Hã-Hã-Hãe went to Brazil's capital BrasÀ­lia seeking a solution ...

LETTERS

Stories of crimes of passion by celebrities are quite common in Brazil. Here are ...

Work Starts in Peru at Highway that Will Open the Pacific to Brazil

The Interoceanic Highway (Rodovia Interoceânica), which will run through the state of Acre and ...

Brazil Shows in Algiers How Beef Is Prepared the Muslim Way

Brazilian cattle beef is going to be promoted in Algeria at the beginning of ...

Blacks, Unions, Landless, Women, Gays All Want Something from New President in Brazil

What should be the attitude of the popular and union movements, and which standards ...