Employees of two transport companies cross their arms due to salary delays and City Hall orders reinforcements in the fleet of other consortiums
The morning of this Monday (22) began with inconvenience for those who depend on public transport in . Around 1,300 workers from the companies Vila Isabel and Real suspended their activities, interrupting the circulation of 24 routes that connect the North Zone to the South, Southwest and Central regions of the capital of Rio de Janeiro.
This is the second strike carried out by the category in a span of three months. The Road Workers Union points to a scenario of continued precariousness as the reason for the act. Among the main complaints of the class are the non-payment of salaries and food vouchers, vacations due since October, lack of FGTS and FGTS deposits, as well as collective dismissals without due severance pay.
The union also denounces the undue retention of amounts relating to alimony and payroll loans, the abrupt cut of the dental plan and the poor condition of the fleet, which suffers from a lack of maintenance and hygiene problems. Protesters organized demonstrations at Central do Brasil, at Terminal Gentileza, in the company’s garage and at a point on Avenida Brasil.
The movement’s leadership states that the strike is for an indefinite period of time and the return will only occur upon payment of labor debts.
Public authorities’ response
Given the impact on urban mobility, the Municipal Transport Secretariat ordered consortia operating in the city to take over the affected routes on an emergency basis and increase the number of trips on contingency lines.
Rio City Hall declared that subsidy transfers are regular and classified what happened as a labor dispute between the private sector and its employees.
Problem history
The transport companies involved are facing a crisis that has been going on for months. Recent press reports showed a reduction in the fleet and vehicles circulating in critical condition. The insecurity situation had a serious episode in November, when a collective from one of the companies caught fire inside the Rebouças Tunnel.
Representatives of the sector, through Rio Ônibus and Consórcio Intersul, state that the episode reflects the severe financial crisis faced by the road transport system in the city.
