Social Security Minister Wolney Queiroz said on Friday (11) that the bills that propose the end of associative discounts represent an attempt from the right to weaken the unions.
“There is a clear desire for the center-right to kill the unions. They tried this with the union reform and the unions found a way to survive with the associative discount on leaf,” said Queiroz.
The statement was made during the 20th Congress of the Brazilian Association of Investigative Journalism (Abraji), in response to questions about the scandal involving improper discounts at the National Institute of Social Security (INSS).
“If you end the associative discount, you mortally reach the unions that have a center-left base. There is an ideological debate on this theme, which cannot be ignored,” said the minister.
Associative discounts are discounted values directly from the payroll of retirees and pensioners who are affiliated with unions, created to finance services such as physical activities, medical and legal assistance.
However, complaints emerged from 2016 pointing out that many discounts were made without authorization and by associations that did not offer the promised services.
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Despite the proven fraud, the minister pointed out that there are serious entities that did not commit irregularities and that the end of discounts would impair these organizations.
A bill that changes the rules of associative discounts is being processed in the House of Representatives, with expectation of voting for next Monday (14). The proposal is reported by Deputy Danilo Forte (União-CE) and is under urgent regime.
