Subway workers threaten to strike in Recife.
The Pernambuco Metro Workers Union says a strike is possible; Federal Police arrested 23 officers, who were later released, arguing that they cannot carry firearms; If Delegate Eduardo Passos's position prevails, metro workers may shut down the metro system; According to the union, there is no security without armed guards.
PE247 – The Federal Police, through delegate Eduardo Passos, arrested 23 federal railway police officers on Wednesday morning (27). According to the president of the Union of Federal Railway Police Officers in Pernambuco, Augusto Lima, the delegate argued that the security guards, on duty at the Metrotec stations, are not authorized to carry firearms. Later, the PF guards were released, but the delegate believes that they cannot work with firearms. As a result, metro workers threaten to paralyze the metro system in Recife, as they claim that there will be no security without the police officers carrying weapons. A total of 300 people depend on rail transport in Recife.
"The system is insecure, lacking police support for medical assistance. This situation puts the system at risk, and both station staff and train drivers are proposing a shutdown. It's not a strike, it's a work stoppage until we resolve the impasse," declared the Communications Director of the Pernambuco Metro Workers Union (Sindimetro-PE), Diogo Morais. In practice, the work stoppage means that employees will continue working, but passengers will be prevented from using rail transport.
Union leader Augusto Lima argued that Law 12.462 guarantees the railway police officers of CBTU (Brazilian Urban Transport Company) the status of police officers, since these security guards became part of the Ministry of Justice and not the company. Meanwhile, the president of Sindimetro-PE, Lenival de Oliveira, is working with the Ministry of Justice to secure the release of the 23 detainees. The union already has a lawyer to follow the case.