The strike of metalworkers at General Motors of São José dos Campos continues, on Monday, April 23. The strike began on Friday, 20, in protest against the automaker’s plans to lay off about 800 employees at the local plant.
At today’s workers meeting to vote for the continuity of the strike, representatives from various trade unions and organizations such as the Subway Workers Union of São Paulo, Oil Workers Union of Rio de Janeiro, Metalworkers Union of Ouro Preto, Food, Chemical and Postal Workers Unions of São José dos Campos, Postal Workers Union of Santa Catarina, National Federation of Oil Workers, Democratic Association of Retirees and Pensioners of Vale do Paraíba, and USP students Union and ANEL (National Assembly of Free Students) were present in support of the strike.
Workers are remaining inside the factory, but without producing even a car. Thus, GM no longer produced its 300 vehicles per day. GM has 5,200 workers in Sao Jose dos Campos plant and produces the S10 and Trailblazer vehicles in addition to engines, transmissions and CKD.
The Metalworkers Union of São José dos Campos, affiliated to the CSP-Conlutas, will meet with the GM managers, on Tuesday, the 24th, at the Regional Labor Court for a conciliation hearing. After breaking with the negotiations with the union, the company filed a collective bargaining agreement at the TRT. Along with the Union, a committee of workers will follow the audience.
At the last meeting, GM proposed to open a new lay-off for two months to 798 employees. After that, all would be fired. With the strike, the automaker is legally prevented from conducting layoffs.
The Union agrees with the completion of the layoff, provided there is job stability for all workers, that is, provided there is no any dismissal.
“There is no way we accept dismissals at the factory. Since Friday, the Union made itself available to the company to continue the negotiations, but so far the GM did not answer. The only way to ensure the employment of these workers is to continue the strike,” said the president of the Union, Antonio Ferreira de Barros.
