UNI Global Union is asking affiliates to support postal unions in Brazil for global day of action timed to coincide with a crucial court hearing on Monday 21 September.
Near 100,000 postal workers in Brazil have been on strike for over a month because the state-owned postal company, Correios, has unilaterally terminated its collective agreement with UNI affiliates FENTECT and FINDECT.
Correios is trying to strip 70 key clauses from their collective bargaining agreement including ones that provide for maternity leave, food vouchers, and assistance for dependents with special needs.
On Monday a trial is due to begin at the Supreme Labour Court which will decide whether or not the collective bargaining agreement is maintained.
UNI calls on all its affiliates to show solidarity with the postal workers in Brazil by:
- Printing out a sign (see below) or making one and sharing it on social media using the hashtag #EuApoioAGreveDosCorreios
- Posting solidarity video messages to social media showing your support to postal workers in Brazil, and be sure to tag @uniamericas on Twitter and Facebook
- Participating in the Facebook live that will take place on 21 September
The attack on the rights of postal workers is part of a wider campaign by the Bolsonaro administration to privatize the postal services and undermine the post.
In addition, in the midst of the pandemic, the government has not met the most basic worker’s demands and needs to provide them with protection against COVID-19. As a result of this negligence, the number of infections in workplaces has increased. More than 100 postal workers have died and the postal company is not implementing any of the protocols recommended by the WHO.
UNI General Secretary, Christy Hoffman, said:
“The global coronavirus pandemic has shown that postal services and postal workers are fundamental to societies and must be protected. UNI, and our 20 million members across the world, stand with our Brazilian affiliates as they fight to preserve the hard-won the rights of postal workers and defend the post against privatization.”
Cornelia Berger, Head of UNI Post & Logistics said:
“Solidarity is not just a word to us. We want to send the Supreme Labour Court a clear message: postal workers deserve better and we will fight for the right for people to have high quality public postal services and for postal workers to have a good life for them and their families.”
UNI Post&Logistics, representing 2.5 million postal workers in more than 90 countries globally, is supporting the Brazilian unions in their fight against privatization and destruction of the postal service in Brazil.
