Bus drivers halt transportation in the capital.
After a meeting mediated by the Regional Labor Court (TRT), the category ignored the court decision to put 70% of the bus fleet on the streets of Porto Alegre during peak hours and the agreement that had been fulfilled to have 30% of the buses available in the city; according to drivers and conductors, the measure would make the strike pointless.
Lorena Paim
On the 21 - At the end of the meeting mediated by the Regional Labor Court (TRT), around 19 pm this Tuesday (28), the bus drivers of Porto Alegre decided to stop completely, ignoring the court decision to put 70% of the bus fleet on the streets during peak hours and the agreement that had been fulfilled to have 30% of the buses available in the city. The drivers and conductors who were waiting in front of the TRT building, in the central area of the city, in a quick assembly, argued that keeping so many buses running would take away the meaning of the category's strike. Therefore, they decided that the few vehicles in operation should already return to the garages.
The acting president of the TRT, Ana Luiza Kruse, who mediated the meeting between representatives of the bus drivers, the City Hall, EPTC and the transport companies, scheduled a new meeting between the parties for Thursday (30), at 15 pm, expecting concrete proposals. This first meeting ended without an agreement and had many discussions, with mutual accusations. In an hour and a half, Ana Luiza tried to get the parties to find a solution for the category's dispute and for the end of the strike, which entered its second day. "We cannot deviate to another type of issue," said the judge, referring to the comments that arose at the table about free passes and criticism of the mayor of the capital, José Fortunati.
The executive manager of ATP – the Passenger Transport Association, Luiz Mário Sá, said he saw progress in the process, "because today it was established that the public authorities are an important protagonist in the negotiation." Luiz Mário emphasized that it was understood that the City Hall will examine the issue of the fare increase as soon as the collective bargaining agreement for the category is decided.
The vice-president of the Regional Labor Court had earlier ordered the maintenance of 70% of the fleet during peak hours, in response to a lawsuit filed by the Municipality, which also requested – but did not obtain – a declaration that the strike was illegal. In case of non-compliance, the established fine is R$ 50. Ana Luiza even said, at the meeting, that she would be flexible regarding the percentage of the fleet in operation on the first day, but stressed that it was a court decision that had to be obeyed.
It was precisely this determination that led the bus drivers to declare “zero fleet”, with no buses on the city streets. The president of the Bus Drivers Union, Júlio Pires, presented the result of the meeting with the TRT to the bus drivers, who reacted with a radical response. This Wednesday (29) should be the real test on the streets since the beginning of the strike, triggered by the demand for a 14% salary increase and other benefit items.