GM auto workers in Brazil go on strike in protest against mass layoffs
10,500 autoworkers at three General Motors in Brazil have voted to go on strike starting Monday (23) in protest against layoffs carried out by the automaker in the country.
The strike for an “indefinite period of time” happens as GM sent layoff-letters by email and telegram Workers at their homes last saturday. The layoffs were made without prior negotiation with the unions.
GM’s mass layoffs happened in three factories in the state of São Paulo. In addition to São José dos Campos, workers from São Caetano do Sul and Mogi das Cruzes were dismissed. The company has not yet informed the union how many employees have been dismissed.
The strike approved by rank-and-file auto workers will only allow factories to begin production again after the cancellation of the layoffs and guarantee of job stability for all. In the Sao Jose dos Campos plant the approval was massive with a vote held during a unified workers assembly that included all three shifts.
In June, General Motors signed a "Temporary Layoff agreement" (Temporary Suspension of Employment Contract) with the Metalworkers Union of São José dos Campos, affiliated to CSP-Conlutas. The document protects job stability for all employees until May 2024. Last Saturday’s dismissal hit both the workers who were a part of the "layoff agreement", as well as those who were in the factory.
Charges to the government
The Union demands immediate measures from the federal, state and municipal governments to reverse the mass dismissal. We demand that President Lula issue a provisional measure establishing employment stability as well as the reduction of daily working hours without wage reduction.
Part of the salaries of the 1,200 workers who are in the "layoff agreement”" is paid with public resources by the federal government.
In addition to breaking the layoff agreement, GM failed to comply with the legislation that requires companies to open negotiations with the union before making mass dismissals.
On strike, the São José dos Campos plant has stopped producing about 150 cars a day. GM employs about 4,000 people in Sao Jose dos Campos, where it makes engines, gearboxes, the Trailblazer SUV and the S-10 truck. The plant in the city of São Caetano do Sul produces Spin, Tracker and Montana vehicles and has 6,200 autoworkers. The Mogi das Cruzes plant produces stamping parts and has 500 autoworkers.
GM autoworkers in the state of São Paulo also have mutual support with UAW autoworkers in the United States on strike for more than a month, for Contracts with increase wages and better working conditions.
"GM acted illegally, for disrespecting the agreement, Brazilian labor law, and the workers. We will not produce a single screw, as long as the layoffs are not canceled," says the vice president of the Union, Valmir Mariano.
We kindly ask you to send an email with a motion of solidarity to the emails and the text of the motion model below:
Santiago Chamorro
CEO Brazil
santiago.chamorro@gm.com
presidencia@gm.com
Raquel Laranjeira
Raquel.laranjeira@gm.com
Compliance
taxcompliance@gm.com
Denys Meireles Gião
Legal director
denys.giao@gm.com
Send copy to secretaria@sindmetalsjc.org.br.
Motion in Solidarity with GM Autoworkers Strike in Brazil!
The (name of organization) repudiates the act of automaker General Motors, which, on Saturday (21), dismissed workers enmasse via email and telegram.
The mass dismissal was cowardly and arbitrary, as it occurred without prior negotiation with the unions, in opposition to the Brazilian Labor Law.
Furthermore, in two plants, São José dos Campos and Mogi das Cruzes, GM failed to comply with "Temporary Layoff Agreements" (Temporary suspension of the employment contract) signed with the unions, which guaranteed to protect jobs for all. In São Caetano, similarly, the company carried out the cuts unilaterally, without prior negotiation.
All cuts are unjustifiable. The automaker claims a drop in its sales, but, on the contrary, it recorded an increase of 18.18% in Brazilian sales between April and June this year, compared to the same period last year. Furthermore, it obtained a net profit of 2.57 billion dollars (R$ 12.94 billion) in the second quarter of this year, an increase of 51.6% in the annual comparison.
Until Sunday (22), in repudiation of the collective dismissal, 10,500 GM auto workers in three plants - São Caetano do Sul, São José dos Campos and Mogi das Cruzes approved a strike for an indefinite period of time. The three unions are seeking negotiations with the GM to reverse the dismissals and guarantee jobs.
We repudiate GM's action, we are in solidarity with the striking workers and demand that GM cancel all dismissals!
- International Solidarity with Brazilian GM Auto Workers on Strike!
- For the Immediate Reinstatement of Workers!
