UNI condemns violent response to peaceful protest against outsourcing at Banco Santander Brazil
23.08.24
UNI Global Union stands in solidarity with Brazilian affiliate the National Confederation of Financial Workers (CONTRAF) and its member Union of Bank and Finance Workers of São Paulo, after a peaceful protest against outsourcing and bad faith bargaining ended with police violence.
During the rally outside of Santander’s office in São Paulo, the bank called on military police, who attacked workers with tasers and tear gas, injuring several union members, to disperse the action. The 22 August action was part of the National Day against Outsourcing,
“It is extremely disturbing Santander would call the police on workers rather than negotiate with them,” said Marcio Monzane, Regional Secretary of UNI Americas. “Bank workers in Brazil – and throughout the Americas – are organizing to protect the quality of their jobs and the quality of the services they provide. They deserve a fair collective agreement, not a vicious attack by the police.”
The day against outsourcing was part of a broader effort to get a national collective agreement in the sector. So far, CONTRAF says the National Bank Federation (FENABAN) has refused to negotiate in good faith over workers’ key concerns including the preservation of banking jobs, better working conditions and ending abusive sales tactics.
Workers are also demanding real wage increases that keep up with inflation – something they say the banks can easily afford considering a total industry profit of R$144.2 billion Brazilian reals (US$25.8 billion) within the country during 2023.
Brazil is a vital market for Santander. The bank pulls in roughly 17 per cent of its global profit — US$1.68 billion in 2023 – from the country.
While Santander is profiting, CONTRAF says the bank is using a number of fraudulent hiring practices, including creating outsourced companies in different departments to fragment and weaken workers’ bargaining power. This outsourcing is possible because of reforms made by the previous far-right government.
Since then, CONTRAF has consistently fought against these practices and the resulting persecution of union leaders.
UNI’s Monzane, showing his support, said: “Workers cannot tolerate all these abuses. The violence against Santander workers in Brazil shows the resistance unions face when trying to roll back neoliberal reforms and advance justice. But we will keep pushing and keep fighting.”
UNI Americas
