The plaintiffs are demanding a wage increase above inflation and a readjustment of food and meal vouchers.

On Wednesday, the underground railway (Metro) union in the Brazilian state of Sao Paulo is set to meet in assembly to evaluate a wage proposal from the company and decide whether to go on strike tomorrow.

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This will be the second meeting held in less than a month to discuss the possibility of a strike that would create chaos in the capital of the state that bears the same name and is the most populous (12.3 million inhabitants) and also the most attractive and dynamic city in Latin America.

The so-called metroviarios withdrew on 21 May from imminent inaction after the Metro presented a letter addressing some of their demands.

On the occasion, the union and the government of the territorial division held a conciliation hearing at the Labour Court.

The plaintiffs are demanding a wage increase above inflation and a readjustment of food and meal vouchers.

Brazil: they evaluate proposal to define strike in Sao Paulo Metro

They also demand the rehiring of employees dismissed during the last strike and the holding of public tenders to increase the company’s cadre.

During a first proposal, the Metro offered an increase of 2.77 per cent (inflation measured by the IPC-Fipe (Consumer Price Index, of the Economic Research Institute Foundation), which was rejected by the workers.

The IPC-Fipe is used to measure inflation on a basket of products, with the objective of evaluating the purchasing power of São Paulo families.

The Labour Court of Sao Paulo ruled that Metro officials must guarantee the operation of the system at 100 per cent capacity during peak hours.

The ruling by the Regional Labour Court Judge of the Second Region Davi Furtado Meirelles, who partially granted the Metro’s request, also defines that, in other periods, the minimum capacity must be 50 per cent.

The magistrate also ruled that a daily fine of 100,000 reais (20,000 dollars) be applied to both the Metroviarios Union and the Metro if either party creates obstacles to workers’ access.

Likewise, if cars remain on the tracks and in the Metro yards or impede the free transit of public transport cars on the metropolitan railways that carry more than four million passengers daily.

The Sao Paulo Metropolitan Company (Metro) was established on 24 April 1968. It is controlled by the State Government under the management of the State Secretariat of Metropolitan Transport.

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