Patricia Zaidan on Editora Abril: whoever uses labor and doesn't pay is stealing.
In an interview with TV 247, journalist Patrícia Zaidan recounted the ordeal experienced by employees laid off by Editora Abril and discussed journalism and feminism; Patrícia also criticized President Jair Bolsonaro and recalled the assassination of councilwoman Marielle Franco.
247 - On Monday, February 18th, TV 247 interviewed journalist and editor Patrícia Zaidan, who worked for Claudia magazine for 19 years. She commented on the serious crisis at Editora Abril and the mass layoffs of its workers, which reached six months on February 15th. Patrícia stated that the employees of the publishing house never imagined that 804 people would be laid off at once.
Patrícia explains that Editora Abril's labor debt amounts to R$ 73 million, and that the personal assets of the company's heirs are valued at R$ 3,3 billion, according to Forbes magazine. This means that with less than 7% of the owners' assets, the debt to all workers and freelancers would be settled.
According to the journalist, the laid-off workers are currently experiencing very difficult situations. "We have colleagues today cleaning toilets in a bar in Vila Madalena to survive, we have people who had surgery scheduled for their daughters and upon arriving at the hospital found their health insurance canceled by Abril, we've had cases of colleagues who fell into depression and even gave up on wanting to live."
Patricia explains that to make Abril feel embarrassed about the lack of salary payments, the employees delayed the distribution of Veja magazines last October. "Whoever uses labor and doesn't pay is stealing; it's something that was ours and it was taken from us. We went to the door of the Veja printing plant twice and delayed the departure of the trucks carrying the magazines. The second time, the employees lay down on the ground to block the trucks' passage. We did this so that Abril would have to explain the delay to its advertisers; it was a way for someone so insensitive to at least feel what they were doing to us."
Patrícia Zaidan also talked about journalism and feminism and said that her inspiration when joining Claudia magazine was the journalist Carmen da Silva, for all her fight for women. "Carmen da Silva had contact with feminists from all over the world and translated the debate for Brazilian women. She was a woman who spoke about abortion in the 60s. When I joined Claudia magazine I tried to revive that."
Regarding femicide, Patrícia believes that the numbers of "killings" against women are growing and that the level of cruelty is also increasing. "Before, cases could end, terribly, with a punch or a shove, but the level of cruelty is growing a lot; it's torture."
The journalist gave her opinion on President Jair Bolsonaro's decision to legalize gun ownership. "We have a woman murdered every two hours; Brazil is a country that should never allow guns into homes. This bloodshed that already flows within homes could reach terrible proportions."
Patrícia also commented on the assassination of councilwoman Marielle Franco. "Today I am absolutely certain that we already know who killed Marielle and what interests that person had. We know that it is impossible that the Rio de Janeiro police do not have, by this moment, the real story of the assassination of this young woman who would have been a great Brazilian parliamentarian and who was only just beginning her career."