São Paulo Metro Workers Prepare for Possible Strike

The union for São Paulo’s metro workers held a meeting last Monday and issued a “strike alert” warning.

This alert means a work stoppage could occur soon. The decision follows the Metro company issuing warnings and discussing privatization.

To clarify, a strike alert informs everyone that the workers might strike at any moment.

Another meeting is in the planning stages for the upcoming Monday. This next discussion aims to consider a strike on October 26, a day that celebrates Metro workers.

The National Federation of Metro Workers is also getting involved. They’re organizing a nationwide protest day with strikes, rallies, and information sharing.

This protest opposes privatization plans in multiple cities like São Paulo, Recife, and Porto Alegre.

The union has also made a public statement. They said if the Metro company keeps issuing warnings, another meeting will happen immediately.

The goal is to revoke all the warnings by October 23, the date of the next planned meeting.

A separate issue is also on the table: a lawsuit. The Metro company is suing for R$ 7.1 million, or about $1.4 million, in damages.

Against Privatization

This claim is for supposed losses during a previous strike. Interestingly, the union found out about this lawsuit through the media. They have not received any official notice yet.

The strike on October 3 caused significant problems. São Paulo faced extensive traffic delays, forcing local authorities to declare a day off.

Basic services like child care and clinics remained open, but most other services closed down.

Workers have been vocal since June about stopping privatization. They believe it would reduce the quality of services.

For example, they point out more service failures after the privatization of some train lines. During the last strike, specific metro stations even experienced electrical issues.

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