SINDSEP: 30 years of fighting in defense of public service and its employees.

The history of workers' organization in Brazil goes back many years. We've had organizations that were founded long ago. The first workers' organization emerged in 1906: the Brazilian Workers' Confederation – COB.

Throughout this time, we have a rich history of worker organization. Until 1930, when Getúlio Vargas's government began, there was freedom of union organization. This means that each entity organized itself according to the decision of its base, by the decision of each worker, of each segment.

Starting with Vargas, union registration was established at the Ministry of Labor. And there was no provision for the organization of public sector unions because our model was copied from the Italian Carta del Lavoro (Charter of Labor), which defined an organizational model that aimed to harmonize the relationship between workers, employers, and the government. Since public employees were government employees, they had no need to organize into unions because the government itself would take care of its employees at all three levels: federal, state, and municipal.

During this period, workers organized themselves into entities that were not unions. They were associative and recreational institutions. This means that we have had public sector workers' organizations in Brazil for a long time. The associations began to take on characteristics of union organizations and promoted strikes throughout the country, in universities, social security, and other bodies. And this entire process occurred even during the military dictatorship. But its class character was enshrined in the Brazilian Constitution of 1988.

We cannot forget that the resumption of the struggle for freedom of trade union organization began during the military dictatorship, with the action of the ABC metalworkers in 1978, led by Lula, which sparked an awakening of consciousness among workers in various categories throughout Brazil.

Five years later, on August 28, 1983, we founded the Unified Workers' Central (CUT). It's important to remember that the first leadership of the Central included a fellow public servant from Brasília, Maria Laura, a leading figure among Brazilian public employees.

Maria Laura played a fundamental role in the process and in the union organization of public servants. Even before the 1988 Constitution, in Brasília, on August 28, 1987, the Union of Federal Public Servants of the Federal District – SINDSEP DF – was founded. And I had the pleasure of being a delegate at the founding of SINDSEP; during this period (Constituent Assembly), I worked in the Chamber of Deputies, on the same date as Bank Employee Day.

In the process of founding the first public servants' union in Brazil, unity was a determining factor. It was a broad union, representing all federal employees in the Federal District: from the Executive, Legislative, and Judicial branches.

The pursuit of building unity with all segments led comrade Maria Laura to relinquish her natural candidacy for the presidency of SINDSEP. The first president of the Union was comrade Antônio, from the Social Security base. In the Union's first direct election, Maria Laura was elected president of the Entity and led important moments of struggle and strikes throughout Brazil in resistance to the Collor government, which attacked the rights of public servants. This leadership led Maria Laura to become a Federal Deputy, for the PT (Workers' Party), for 2 terms.

After Maria Laura's election as a federal deputy, the combative comrade Chico Zocolli took over the leadership of the Union, followed by Luís Fernando. Both left us prematurely, but before their departure they pointed out the need to build a national organization for public employees.
They also founded CONDSEF on August 28th. They convinced us that the struggles of public servants should be international; in this sense, they held the ELASP (Latin American Meeting of Public Servants), and later CONDSEF affiliated with the ISP (International Public Servants Association).

Therefore, the process of organizing the Union was very rich, giving great importance to the 30 years of existence of SINDSEP, which are characterized by three decades of struggle for the right to unionization, for the stability of public servants, in defense of rights, leading the entity to be representative and strong enough to defend the interests of workers, regardless of who was the President of the Republic.

The Sindsep Statute no longer includes the figure of a President. But under the leadership of the General Secretary, comrade Oto Neves, a unified, fighting union remains, with a board that strengthens the role of public servants in the Federal District.

SINDSEP is a very important entity for all workers, with a class-based character, because in addition to organizing public servants, it participates alongside CUT in organizing all workers. And at this moment of an illegitimate government that strongly attacks workers' rights, through the PEC that limits spending for the next 20 years, through widespread outsourcing, through the labor reform that dismantles all the services protecting rights, and now is making efforts in the fight against pension reform.

In light of all this, I am certain that, in the same way that this Union has acted strongly in defense of the interests of the category and the working class in its 30 years of existence, the public servants of the Federal District will...

Over the next 30 years, SINDSEP will play an important role in defending quality public service, ensuring workers have their rights respected. This role is now expanding and has greater demands in defending its members and all Brazilian workers.

Congratulations to SINDSEP on its 30th anniversary. Long live public servants! Long live the resistance of the national and global working class!