Valdemiro Santiago is ordered to pay R$ 10 to a striker after calling him "filthy".

247 - The World Church of the Power of God, founded by Apostle Valdemiro Santiago, was ordered by the Labor Court to pay R$ 10 in compensation to a former employee who participated in a strike in 2021. The decision, released in the second instance on February 12th, was reported by the newspaper... FSP.

The worker, who worked in the warehouse sector of the religious institution, reported in the lawsuit that approximately 100 employees joined the strike due to frequent delays in the payment of salaries and meal vouchers. During a service, Valdemiro Santiago expressed his indignation at the strike and made derogatory statements about the participants.

"What is unclean cannot come near what is sacred," the religious leader stated. "The union will rule over in their own homes, but not here. They should work on something else. Not on God's work."

The former employee, who had worked at the church since 2009, was dismissed in June 2022. His lawyer, Manoel Souza Neto, highlighted in the lawsuit that the strikers were the target of derogatory insinuations from bishops of the institution, including during live broadcasts. "Despite the plaintiff [the former employee] and his colleagues exercising a legal right, provided for in Article 9 of the Federal Constitution, the strikers faced several insinuations from bishops who were conducting live services for various broadcasters," he argued.

Judge Maurício Marchetti, the case's rapporteur, concluded that Valdemiro "clearly attacked the employee's psychological dignity and harmed his moral integrity, exercising his powers of command and direction to disrespect the plaintiff solely because of his exercise of his right to strike."

The World Church appealed the conviction imposed by the 14th Labor Court, but its appeal was denied in the second instance. Despite the unfavorable decision, there is still the possibility of a further appeal.