The Brazilian Senate carried out on Tuesday 11 the voting of the Labor Reform. For 50 to 26 votes, with 1 abstention, they approved the project. With this voting, the National Congress, filled by corrupt ones and highly repudiated by the population, attacks the CLT [Consolidation of Labor Laws] and destroys historical workers’ rights.
By PSTU – Brasil.
Among the attacks passed on Tuesday by the Senate is the prevalence of negotiation over legislation, so the possibility for agreements between bosses and workers to count over rights that used to be guaranteed; as well as the creation of new type of job contracts, like the figure of “intermittent job” (you work only when there is work to do); and it establishes a series of restrictions to the Labor Justice. This is a measure that aims to charge the crisis over the workers’ shoulders, jeopardizing the jobs and reducing the cost of workforce.
Several entities, like the Frentas (Associative Front of the Judiciary and Public Ministry), the MTP (Public Ministry of Labor), the Abat (Brazilian Association of Labor Lawyers), and the Sinait (Tax Auditors’ National Trade Union) stated that the Labor Reform has a series of unconstitutional elements. A public article diffused by the entities on Monday (10) affirms that the project “is contaminated by countless, evident, and irreparable unconstitutional points, and setbacks of all type, formal and material”.
Who led the voting in the Senate was Eunício Oliveira (PMDB Ceará), the “Indio” of Odebrecht’s list. Just like his colleague presiding the Chamber, Oliveira has two investigations open in the STF (Supreme Federal Court) because of the Lava Jato operation [kickback to political parties on electoral campaigns]. The government’s leader in the Senate, Romero Jucá (PMDB Roraima) is another notable corrupt one, who has none less than eight investigation processes open in the STF. Aécio Neves (PSDB Minas Gerais), whose prison was requested by the Justice a few days ago and denied by the STF, also voted for the “yes” [to pass the reform].
The voting took place ten days after the leaderships of the main Federations dismantled the General Strike called on June 30; the Força Sindical aiming to negotiate with Temer’s government, and the CUT to give priority to the Diretas Já [Direct Elections Now], so “Lula 2018”, instead of putting efforts in constructing a General Strike to stop the country.
The fight is not over
The voting of the Labor Reform represents a harsh attack on the historical rights of the workers, but the fight is not over. The workers are not defeated, like June 30 showed: it was a strong Day of Struggle, despite the leaderships of the main Federations. And a General Strike is still possible, to abort the labor reform, revoke the outsourcing law, and bury the Social Security reform.
The voting on Tuesday showed the necessity of moving forward with workers’ organization and struggle, to take down this corrupt government and Congress full of thieves, both serving the bankers, the contractor companies, and the big bosses.
Corrupt Senate passes the Labor Reform
