Nurses may strike on the 19th if the Supreme Court does not revoke the suspension of the Minimum Wage Law.

CUT - Nurses across the country will hold a national day of mobilization this Friday (9) to revoke the injunction issued by the Minister of the Supreme Federal Court (STF), Luís Roberto Barroso, which suspended the category's Minimum Wage Law and, therefore, payments from Monday, the 5th.

Organized by the National Nursing Forum (FNE), this week's mobilization already has events scheduled in several cities, with a possible strike on September 19th if no decision favorable to the workers is reached.

The 9th was chosen for the mobilization because it is the same date on which the Supreme Court justices will begin the virtual vote to decide whether or not to uphold Barroso's injunction. The vote ends on the 16th.

Each state will organize its events, whose locations and times must be defined by this Thursday (8), said the president of the National Federation of Nurses (FNE), Shirley Morales.

"The unions representing the category are already meeting to define how the actions will be carried out. But the mobilization around the strike on the 19th will also be discussed in assemblies," he stated.

In addition to in-person demonstrations in front of health facilities on Friday, there will be mobilization on social media and other actions will be carried out throughout the days in order to reinforce the fight to have the injunction revoked.

The leader warns of autonomous and isolated movements that have been carried out with the participation of fascist groups, according to her, to call for random strikes that could have consequences for the population.

“These groups believe that a favorable decision will only be reached if it harms the population, and we disagree with that. We spent the entire pandemic saving lives, and we disagree with uncoordinated actions,” says Shirley Morales.  

FNE Resolution

In a virtual meeting this Tuesday, the FNE approved measures aimed at pressuring the STF to revoke Barroso's injunction.

Check out what was approved:

• Holding street demonstrations in defense of the minimum wage, preferably in front of hospitals and health centers. Taking place in all states on Friday, September 9th, from 11:00 AM to 2:00 PM.
• Virtual meeting of Forum representatives with the presidents of the Chamber of Deputies, Arthur Lira (PP-AL), and the Senate, Rodrigo Pacheco (PSD-MG), with support from Senator Eliziane Gama's office.
• To produce a greater volume of posts on social media, using hashtags, urging Representatives and Senators to expedite the processing of bills concerning funding sources for healthcare.

In Congress, there are discussions surrounding three bills to facilitate the payment of the minimum wage for nurses.

• The bill that is gaining the most traction is the one proposing the legalization of gambling, already approved in the Chamber of Deputies with the provision to allocate a percentage of the revenue to healthcare.
• Another proposal raises the possibility of using resources from oil and mining royalties to pay the minimum wage for nurses.
• And a third proposal suggests exempting healthcare workers from payroll taxes.
• Clarification note and position statement from the Forum against the preliminary injunction issued in the ADI-STF (Direct Action of Unconstitutionality - Supreme Federal Court).

Acts of this Friday

The organization of Friday's events – a mobilization aimed at exerting pressure and indicating a strike on the 19th – is still underway and should define the locations and times of the various actions to be carried out by the category throughout the country by the 8th. However, some cities have already anticipated this and defined their demonstrations:

Goias:

Em Goiania, Although the location is not yet defined, the time of the event has already been confirmed. It will be at 9 am on Friday and is being organized by the Union of Workers of the Unified Health System in the State of Goiás (Sindsaúde-GO), the Regional Nursing Council in Goiás (Coren-GO), and the Brazilian Nursing Association, Goiás Section (Aben-GO). The group already held a protest on Monday, the 5th.

Paraná

Em Curitiba, a demonstration in front of the Mackenzie Evangelical Hospital, at 9 am, organized by the Union of Employees in Health Service Establishments of Curitiba (Sindesc)

Mato Grosso do Sul

Em Campo GrandeA demonstration is scheduled for 10 am at Praça do Rádio. In addition to the Union of Nursing Workers of Mato Grosso do Sul (Siems), the protest will also include the participation of the Union of Nursing Workers of the Municipality of Campo Grande (Sinte).

Rio Grande do Sul

Em Porto AlegreThe event will take place at 9 am, in front of the Santa Casa Hospital. It is organized by the Union of Health Professionals of Rio Grande do Sul (Sindisaúde-RS) and the Union of Nurses in the State of Rio Grande do Sul (Sergs).

Em Lajeado and EstrelaThe events will take place this Wednesday, the 7th. In Lajeado, the protest will begin at 9 am, starting at the Bruno Born Hospital. In Estrela, the event will take place later, after noon, in front of the Estrela Hospital.

Santa Catarina

Em Florianópolis A Unified General Assembly is being organized for next Friday, the 9th, at 12:30 pm, at the beachfront pier. Before that, at 9 am, nurses, technicians, assistants, and midwives will be summoned from their workplaces for mobilization.

Em Blumenau, mobilization this Wednesday (7), at 8 am, at Praça do Teatro Carlos Gomes. 

Em Cricklewood, also this Wednesday (7), at 8 am, at Parque das Nações.

Barroso's decision

Minister Luís Roberto Barroso suspended on Sunday (4) the payment of the minimum wage for nurses, in a monocratic decision, and sent the case to the plenary. He also gave a 60-day deadline for states, municipalities, and private sector entities to explain the economic impact of the new legislation.

The preliminary injunction does not question the constitutionality of the minimum wage, but points to the lack of funding sources. The organizations representing the profession will pressure members of Congress to approve bills that serve as alternatives to raise funds for the new nurses' salaries, in addition to engaging in dialogue with Supreme Court justices to ensure they have a majority when the matter goes to the full court.

Who filed a lawsuit in the Supreme Federal Court to avoid paying the minimum wage?

The leadership of the National Confederation of Health, Hospitals, Establishments and Services (CNSaúde) proposed a direct action of unconstitutionality against the minimum wage. They threatened to lay off workers and close beds if nothing was done.

What are the floor values?

The law establishing a minimum wage for nurses sets a minimum salary of R$ 4.750 for registered nurses, R$ 3.325 for nursing technicians, and R$ 2.375 for nursing assistants and midwives. It came into effect on August 5th.

Who is entitled to the minimum wage?

Brazil has more than 2,6 million active workers in the four segments of nursing, including 642 nurses, 1,5 million technicians, 440 nursing assistants, and 440 midwives, according to the Federal Nursing Council (Confen). The organization warns, however, that professionals may be registered in more than one segment.

Fake news

Bolsonaro's supporters are trying to capitalize on the issue on social media by attacking the Workers' Party (PT), claiming that the initiative to question the constitutionality of the law came from the president of the National Health Council (CNS), Fernando Pigatto.

Malicious internet users have been taking advantage of the similarity between the names of the entities (National Confederation of Health, Hospitals, Establishments and Services and National Health Council) to promote fake news attributing the responsibility for the questioning to the CNS.

In a statement, the CNS denied the false news. "We have always stood by the workers and will do everything to ensure that the national minimum wage is implemented as quickly as possible, because this is doing justice to this professional category so important to the people of our country," stated the president of the CNS, Fernando Pigatto.