Bus strike affects bus circulation in Rio de Janeiro
The Rio de Janeiro bus workers' strike came into effect at midnight this Monday (29), following a decision by the category in an assembly held on Sunday (28). The movement, for an indefinite period of time, affects the operation of the bus system in the capital.
The TRT-1 (Regional Labor Court of the 1st Region) determined, by means of an injunction, the circulation of at least 50% of the fleet during peak hours and 25% during other periods. In case of non-compliance, a daily fine of R$50,000 was set, applied independently to Sintrucad-Rio (Union of Workers in Road Passenger Transport Companies of the Municipality of Rio de Janeiro) and to Rio Ônibus (Union of Bus Companies of the City of Rio de Janeiro).
In a statement, Rio Ônibus informed that companies are mobilized to maintain the service and ensure the movement of the population. According to the entity, around 800 buses were in circulation in the early hours of today.
The employers' union also reported that 30 buses were vandalized during the strike, which, according to the entity, affects passenger service. The consortiums appealed to drivers and other road workers to come to the garages, with the aim of reestablishing normal operations.
Buses show signs of depredation during the first day of the bus workers' strike in Rio de Janeiro - Reproduction
The president of Sintrucad-Rio, Sebastião José, stated that the union is facing difficulties in complying with the court order because it did not receive from Rio Ônibus the schedule of workers who should act to guarantee the minimum circulation of the fleet.
"We are having a problem complying with the court order, because the union sent a letter to Rio Ônibus requesting the schedule of workers who would be scheduled to comply with the court decision. So far, we have received absolutely nothing", he declared.
According to the director, the absence of a schedule makes it impossible to identify the professionals who should be working. He also attributed responsibility to the employers' union for the difficulties in complying with the injunction.
"If we are not managing to have 50% of the fleet on the streets at this moment, it is not our union's fault, it is the employer's union's fault", he stated.
Regarding cases of depredation, Sebastião José contested the numbers released by the companies. According to him, the union was aware of four incidents and there is no proof of road workers' participation in the episodes.
"We had information that four incidents occurred and it was not the road workers who did this", he said.
COR-Rio (Operations and Resilience Center of the City of Rio) reported that, in areas served by other modes, the subway, train and ferry systems operate normally and can be used as an alternative by the population.
Category demands
According to Sintrucad-Rio, the proposal presented by Rio Ônibus provides for adjustments of R$ 150.15 for conventional bus drivers, increasing the salary from R$ 3,420.16 to R$ 3,570.31, and from R$ 180.17 for articulated bus drivers in category "E", increasing from R$ 4,104.18 to R$ 4,284.35. The food allowance, in turn, would rise from R$660 to R$689.
The president of the union, Sebastião José, criticized the indexes proposed by the companies. "It's been more than thirty years of giving in to employers' arguments, but now this situation needs to change and will change," he stated.
During the meeting that approved the strike, the workers maintained the agenda of demands forwarded to Rio Ônibus. Among the main requests in the category are:
- Change of base date to March 1st;
- Salary of R$5,000 for articulated bus drivers;
- Salary of R$4,000 for other drivers;
- End of temporary contracts and hiring under the CLT regime for BRT professionals;
- Food ticket of R$1,000;
- Working hours in the 5×2 model;
- Maintenance free pass for the category;
- Compensation for the 30-minute lunch break;
- Implementation of a health plan;
- Implementation of a dental plan.
"We only want what is rightfully ours. I hope that this impasse between the city hall and Rio Ônibus will be resolved, thus preventing thousands of users from once again paying the price for this power struggle", declared Sebastião José.
Source: CNN