Brazilian port sector goes on strike against changes in law

Port workers across Brazil staged a 12-hour strike last Tuesday, the 22nd, protesting proposed changes to the Ports Law (Law 12.815/2013), such as the elimination of night shift pay and risk pay, in addition to allowing the outsourcing of activities, such as port services.

The strike was organized by the National Federation of Port Workers (FNP), the National Federation of Stevedores (FNE), and the National Federation of Loading and Unloading Checkers, Repairers, Port Watchmen, Block Workers, Ship Organizers, and Mooring Workers (Fenccovib). Together, these unions represent over 50,000 workers employed at major ports nationwide.

Fenccovib President Mário Teixeira criticized the committee of legal experts drafting a proposal in the Chamber of Deputies, expressing concerns over its composition. He emphasized that the unions stand firmly against the proposed changes to the current port law, highlighting the involvement of all 151 Brazilian port unions in the mobilization, supported by international labor organizations.

The strike occurred amid a period of growth in Brazil’s port sector. According to the National Waterway Transportation Agency (Antaq), cargo throughput increased by 4.28% in the first half of the year, totaling 644.76 million tonnes. This growth was primarily driven by containerized cargo, which surged by 22.72%, reaching a record 73.3 million tonnes.

Solid bulk cargo, which accounts for around 60% of all port activity, also saw a 3.65% increase, with 383 million tonnes handled during the same period.

Source: Exame

Original article: https://exame.com/agro/setor-portuario-entra-em-greve-contra-mudancas-na-lei/

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