Postal workers' strike could end today.
Brazilian postal service Correios hopes to reach an agreement with striking workers today; 23% of workers are on strike; the category is expected to accept a 6,87% readjustment to salaries and benefits.
29/09/2011 - 15h06
Agencia Brasil_ Sabrina Craide, from Brasília – The president of the Post Office, Wagner Pinheiro, said today (29) that the company expects the employees’ strike, which began 15 days ago, to end “as soon as possible”. Pinheiro believes that a consensus will be reached this afternoon, when there will be a new round of negotiations.
According to the Minister of Communications, Paulo Bernardo, the main impasse concerns the deduction of days not worked. The company's proposal is to maintain the deduction of the first six days that have already been included in the payroll and to hold work marathons to catch up on the work. According to Bernardo, the category has already accepted the financial proposal from the Post Office, which includes a 6,87% adjustment to salary and benefits, a real increase of R$ 80 starting in January, and a bonus of R$ 500, to be paid immediately.
According to the postal service's calculations, 23% of workers are on strike. According to the company's president, approximately four extra working days will be needed to normalize the delivery of letters and parcels.
This morning, striking employees blocked the entrance and garage of the company's headquarters building in Brasília to prevent colleagues who are not participating in the strike from entering.