Brazil: First general strike in 20 years

Trade unions across Brazil are today, April 28, holding a general strike to oppose government plans to cut pensions and to make sweeping changes to labour laws. The government’s pension proposals will extend peoples’ working lives considerably, delink pensions from the minimum wage and eliminate special provisions for public sector workers.

President Michel Temer has also announced plans to allow companies to outsource any job, to extend the maximum duration of temporary work contracts from three months to nine months and to end the 8-hour working day.

The IUF’s Latin America Region has written to Temer expressing great concern over current political developments in Brazil and categorically rejecting government plans. The letter was delivered (left) by representatives from IUF affiliates, CONTRATUH and CNTA Afins.

In a passionate plea for support, Albert Broch, former president of the IUF affiliated CONTAG called on members to demonstrate “the strength and unity of the Brazilian working class” while Siderlei Silva de Oliveira, president of CONTAC, warned “We will paralyze the country”.