The Regional Labour Tribunal (TRT) declared unanimously on Tuesday that the stevedores’ strike in the Port of Santos is “improper”. Beyond the economic problem caused by the strike which has now completed 8 days, the judges pointed to the violent character of demonstrations. The Tribunal decided to raise the daily fine from R$50, 000 to R$200,000. Workers confirmed after the judgement that demonstrations are to continue.
“Força Sindical” (Union Force) stated that it is joining a meeting at 10 am Wednesday with the Ministry of Labour Attorney General, Guilherme Passos, in an attempt to find a solution for the question of labour force employment in the Port of Santos, which motivated the dockers’ strike.
The President of the São Paulo Industrial Federation (Fiesp), Horácio Lafer Piva, requested through an official note that the State government maintain “firm action” to guarantee order in the Port of Santos. According to him the losses are rising, and industry is preparing strategies to move products and raw materials through other ports.
The Brazilian Association of Foreign Trade (Abracex) calculated company losses of around US$200 million through the port stoppage. Its president Roberto Segatto confirmed that the country’s main port for the movement of industrial products is responsible for around 40% by value of Brazilian export and import activities.
The President of the National Association of Automotive Vehicle Manufacturers (Anfavea), José Carlos Pinheiro Neto, said on Tuesday that the strike was beginning to hinder exports. The ports of Santos and Sepetiba, on Rio de Janeiro, are the most utilised by assembly plants in Grande ABC region. The dockers’ stoppage is affecting exports. Pinheiro Neto stressed that he did not know the situation regarding stocks of imported parts for assembly plants, but believed that the stoppage could affect vehicle production.
The Volkswagen sales manager Luiz Muraca said that the port stoppage blocked the loading of 2, 500 vehicles for export to the United States. The volume would have to be entered in the results for April. Santos is the principal foreign export route for Volkswagen.
The beginning of the strike a week ago interrupted the loading of a ship containing 1, 200 vehilces. The State of São Paulo Dock Company (Codesp) stated that the loading of vehicles requires stevedores to carry out manoeuvres inside the vessel. Vehicles leaving the assembly plants are transported to the loading companies yards, situated near terminals at the rear of the port.
