No to the closure of Gerdau plants in Brazil

On 27 May, Gerdau announced the "hibernation" of its plants in Barão de Cocais (MG), Sete Lagoas (MG) and Maracanaú (CE), claiming that this was part of its restructuring. In other words, it has announced that it is going to lay off around 500 direct workers, just in Barão de Cocais/MG, not counting the many indirect workers, contractors and outsourced workers, affecting fathers and mothers of families.

This May, Gerdau celebrated its 25th anniversary as a company listed on the New York Stock Exchange. In the US, the talk of a steel "crisis" was different, with Gerdau CEO Gustavo Werneck saying: "This is the best moment we've had in 100 years". Gustavo announced a profit of R$2.8 billion, passed on an average of 25 to 30 per cent of his profit to his shareholders, around R$192 million in dividends, and intends to invest R$7.5 billion in Brazil over the next period, half of which in mining and the other half in metallurgy and steel.

This CEO is responsible for cutting workers' wages, imposing zero pay rises, withdrawing rights and closing plants. Gerdau, despite falling profits during the pandemic, doubled its production from three years ago. There's no shortage of money! What is lacking is social responsibility, because the Gerdau family's greed has no limits or scruples! That's why, since the end of last year, Gerdau has been using these workers' jobs as a "cannon fodder" to blackmail the federal government into maintaining the tax cuts and surcharging steel imports from China.

This is the relationship between the Lula government and the Gerdau boss and the workers. Gerdau gets richer with Lula's help and the workers remain unemployed! The governments help Gerdau to make more and more profit, and they don't care that this means throwing workers out of work.

The organisations of the International Labour Network of Solidarity and Struggles repudiate the closure of the Barão de Cocais, Sete Lagoas (MG) and Maracanaú (CE) plants, and demand the immediate reopening of the plants, the maintenance of the 500 jobs and the cancellation of the layoff notices.

We ask the organisations to send the above text as a motion to the emails below:

Company
Gustavo Werneck/CEO:
gustavo.werneck@gerdau.com.br
presidente@gerdau.com.br

Rafael Japur/VP and CEO:
rafael.japur@gerdau.com.br
vicepresidente@gerdau.com.br

pedro.bento@gerdau.com.br
marcos.goncalves@gerdau.com.br

gerdau@fsb.com.br
imprensamg@redecomunicacao.com

Maikel Luis Ribeiro Kirsch:
maikel.kirsch@gerdau.com.br

Governments: 
gabinetepessoal@presidencia.gov.br; ouvidoria@presidencia.gov.br; casacivil@presidência.gov.br; executiva.casacivil@presidencia.gov.br; vpr.gabinete@presidencia.gov.br; trabalhoeemprego@mte.gov.br; ouvidoria@mpt.mp.br; tarcisio.freitas@cgu.gov.br; dgi.protocolo@presidencia.gov.br; gabinetepessoal@presidencia.gov.br; secretariageral@governo.mg.gov.br; governador@governo.mg.gov.br

With copy:
secretaria@cspconlutas.org.br