Vagner Freitas to 247: 'This May 1st is more nerve-wracking'
The president of CUT, the country's largest labor union, says that this year's Labor Day "is different because of the current situation"; "Bill 4330 [on outsourcing] is taking Brazil back to the 30s. This May Day is much more tense than in other years," he states; the union leader promises to "paralyze Brazil" if the bill passes in the Senate as it is and announces that the holiday will be dedicated to demonstrations against the "conservative zeal" that has been rising in Congress under the leadership of the Speaker of the House, Eduardo Cunha (PMDB-RJ); the organization's event will feature former President Lula in downtown São Paulo.
Gisele Federicce, 247 – This year's May Day is "much more tense" compared to previous years, according to the president of CUT (Central Única dos Trabalhadores), Vagner Freitas. In an interview with 247, he explained that the reason is the "current situation". "Bill 4330 [which regulates outsourcing] makes Brazil regress to the 30s," he stated.
Last Tuesday, the 28th, the president of CUT, along with other union leaders, met with the president of the Senate, Renan Calheiros (PMDB-AL), to discuss the matter. The meeting was considered positive, and the unions expect the senator to put the project through a more in-depth debate than occurred in the Chamber of Deputies, where, under the leadership of Deputy Eduardo Cunha (PMDB-RJ), the text was approved hastily and amid criticism of irregularities in the voting process.
According to Freitas, if the bill passes in the Senate in its current form, the CUT and other labor unions will "paralyze Brazil" with a general strike, demanding a veto from President Dilma Rousseff. The current format of the proposal allows companies to outsource core activities, in addition to support activities, as is currently the case. As exemplified by Congressman Alessandro Molon (PT-RJ) to 247 (read hereIf the new text is approved, hospitals could start outsourcing doctors, and schools, teachers.
The president of CUT (Central Única dos Trabalhadores, Brazil's largest labor union) announces that there will be a major movement this year against the threat to workers' rights and against the "conservative zeal" that has risen in Congress to affect workers, led by Eduardo Cunha. This will be the focus of the CUT event, which will take place in Vale do Anhangabaú, in the center of São Paulo. CUT is the largest labor union in Brazil, representing 2,3 unions. The event will be attended by former president Lula, who will also speak against outsourcing, and the national president of the PT (Partido dos Trabalhadores, the Workers' Party), Rui Falcão.
The second largest labor union in the country, representing 1,6 unions, Força Sindical, which opposes the government, will hold its traditional event in Campo de Bagatelle square, in the northern zone, with shows and car raffles. The organization will focus its agenda on protesting against Provisional Measures 664 and 665, which modify access to benefits such as unemployment insurance, salary bonus, and survivor's pensions. These measures are suggestions from Dilma's economic team and are part of the government's fiscal adjustment. The third largest union, UGT, which recently joined the fight against Bill 4330, decided not to hold events this May Day.
Read the main excerpts from the interview below:
What is your assessment of the meeting with the Senate president this week regarding Bill 4330?
It was positive. The president informed the Brazilian public that the bill will undergo a different discussion process in the Senate than in the Chamber of Deputies. He said there is no deadline for this and, something I found very important, he said that if Brazil opts for outsourcing as a core activity in this process, it will be opting for precarious working conditions in terms of quality of work.
According to CUT's assessment, how should the Senate proceed with regard to the text?
I suggested two separate things: one is to regularize the precarious employment of outsourced workers. What I think is that another bill should be presented to regularize the 12,7 million workers who are currently outsourced. Regarding the other 40 million workers registered under the CLT (Brazilian labor law), eliminate the "Cunha bill," as I'm calling it, to end the proposal to outsource core activities. Remove the second paragraph, which discusses this possibility.
Senator Renan Calheiros said that it is not up to the labor unions to tell the Senate what to do. What is your comment on this statement?
I believe that the Senate, like the Chamber of Deputies, is the house of the people. It reflects what happens in society. This is normal in a democracy. Movements make their demands, and the Senate has to act based on a majority. It's not the labor unions that are in charge, nor the business owners, but the Senate is a sounding board.
What does UGT's participation in the fight against Bill 4330 represent?
I think all the labor unions have to be against it. UGT took the right position. Half of the employees are directly hired and half are outsourced, so they had an internal difficulty, but it was the right thing to do.
What are the plans for May 1st? Will there be a strike?
This will be the first confrontation with the March and April demonstrations, expressing discontent with the government. The agenda largely revolves around Bill 4330 and Provisional Measures 664 and 665, which also deal with worker benefits. In addition, there's our historical agenda, which includes the pension factor, and also resistance to the conservative onslaught against workers' rights in Congress. Obviously, the [May 1st] movement is a process leading up to the strike. If Bill 4330 passes in the Senate allowing outsourcing as a core activity, we will paralyze Brazil, even to demand that Dilma veto it.
Is this May 1st different from the others? If so, in what way?
It's different because the circumstances are different; the 4330 election makes Brazil regress to the 30s. This May 1st is much more tense than in other years because of the circumstances.