"There is no negotiation with the firefighters," says the Rio government.
Sergio Cabral, smiling, states that he will not be the one to deal with the corporation's movement; will he be going to Paris?
The Rio de Janeiro state government has confirmed that there are no longer any channels for negotiation with the state's firefighters. The firefighters have been on strike since Saturday morning, after the Special Police Operations Battalion (BOPE) expelled a group of firefighters who had occupied the fire department's headquarters on Friday night. 439 firefighters were arrested.
Although Governor Sérgio Cabral (PMDB) refused to comment on the matter this morning, after a ceremony at Guanabara Palace, the Secretary of State for the Civil House, Regis Fichtner, said that talks with the firefighters were terminated after the incident at the barracks. "We had a channel for negotiation, but it was closed because of the invasion," Fichtner said, limiting his comments. Smiling, Cabral told the press that any information regarding the firefighters' issue would be handled by Colonel Sérgio Simões, the corporation's commander-in-chief, appointed by the governor on Saturday morning.
Firefighters claim that the government has refused to discuss their demands since the movement for better wages began about three months ago. Negotiations have reportedly been limited to meetings with the government leader in the Legislative Assembly (Alerj), Deputy André Correa (PPS), and the Secretary of State for Planning and Management, Sérgio Ruy Barbosa. The group is demanding an increase in the minimum wage from the current net salary of R$ 950 to R$ 2, as well as improvements in working conditions and benefits such as transportation vouchers.
The Brazilian Bar Association (OAB-RJ) issued a statement today defending the Rio de Janeiro state government's obligation to guarantee decent salaries for firefighters. According to the OAB, "the firefighters' demands are fair and legitimate. The category's salaries are, admittedly, demeaning and must be adjusted immediately."
The takeover of the fire department headquarters, however, did not have the support of the organization. The occupation "cannot be accepted in a democratic state governed by the rule of law and only contributes to inflaming tensions and diminishing public support for the firefighters' legitimate salary demands," the organization added.
The OAB-RJ (Brazilian Bar Association of Rio de Janeiro) also pointed out that the governor's statements about the firefighters do not contribute to the negotiations. "The firefighters of our state are well-liked and admired by the people of Rio de Janeiro and are not – nor should they be treated as such – 'criminals'." Governor Sergio Cabral called the firefighters vandals and irresponsible in a press interview on Saturday.