Will Brazilian truckers go on strike Sunday or not?

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – Groups and associations representing truck drivers announced a few days ago that they are studying the possibility of a nationwide strike starting this Sunday, July 25. The strike could even extend to Monday or longer. There is discontent among these workers over unfulfilled promises of the Bolsonaro government, and the recent rises in diesel fuel prices.

But industrial companies say commitments to the strike have not taken off, writes ‘Exame’ magazine in its latest issue.

However, some teamster leaders say that the strike will be maintained, and the protest will begin on Sunday, July 25. Key organizations, such as the National Confederation of Independent Transporters (CNTA), say the chances of a strike are slim, given the low number of affiliations to the movement so far.

“The prerogative and legality to carry out a strike is a right of the truck driver and is formalized through an assembly in the unions. To date, we are not aware of any such initiative on the part of the unions associated with our confederation system,” CNTA said in a statement.

The Ministry of Infrastructure, the trucker’s main interlocutor with the government, also says it is not aware of any requests for contact or meetings to discuss the possibility of a strike.

The unions remain divided, with some executives calling for a strike in WhatsApp groups, but it is still a far cry from the noise of 2018 when a truckers’ strike paralyzed the country. CNTA, considered one of the largest groups in the autonomous transporters sector, says it will not participate in the strike.

DEMANDS

Among the main demands are the end of Petrobras’ fuel pricing policy and compliance with the minimum floor for freight rates. The most recent fuel price increase occurred on the 5th of this month when Petrobras raised the price of gasoline by over 6%. Diesel registered a 3.7% increase and now costs R$2.81 at refineries.

The adjustments were accompanied by a 5.8% increase in road freight rates. The minimum freight price was introduced by former President Michel Temer’s team during the May 2018 strike. The government implemented the measure as part of the actions to end the strike at the time.