The Santos Stevedores’ Union reached an agreement with Ultrafértil and will supply labour for cargo handling in the company’s private terminal in Cubatão, from Monday. This does not signify the end of the strike, but a change of strategy. “The stevedores will work with those employers who respect their rights,” said the President of the Stevedores’ Union Vanderlei José da Silva.
For him, the operation of the ships “removes the character of the strike which the Courts gave to the movement, and signifies that the stevedores have returned to work”. The agreement was reached this morning (Sat. 7 April). Ultrafértil had obtained a preliminary judgement allowing it to operate on ships in its own terminal, even contracting workers to replace stevedores.
The agreement, approved in a mass meeting of stevedores this afternoon, foresees the hiring of four shifts of 6 people on a 15 day rote, while cargo handling continues. The workers will be registered, will enjoy workers’ rights and receive other benefits. The selection will made by the union using the traditional method and not that claimed by the Public Ministry of Labour, of a numerical order rota.
The agreement, reached directly between Ultrafértil and the union, did not go through Órgão Gestor de Mão-de-Obra (Ogmo, the Labour Management agency), the body entrusted by law with the selection of port workers.
