- Title: BRAZIL: Brazilian unions flex muscle in attempt to lead protest movements
- Date: 11th July 2013
- Summary: RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL (JULY 11, 2013) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF PROTESTERS SETTING UP TENTS AND HANGING OUT PEACEFULLY IN DOWNTOWN RIO DE JANEIRO (SOUNDBITE) (Portuguese) STUDENT, LUIZ CARLOS, SAYING: "This massive occupation we're going to do today is just to show that the people taking to the streets are really laying claim to the fact that they have not been answered." PR
- Embargoed: 26th July 2013 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Brazil
- Country: Brazil
- Topics: General
- Reuters ID: LVAERC58YBNHHRAV7GYXU95JRLCY
- Story Text: Union demonstrations snarled traffic in several Brazilian cities on Thursday (July 11) as part of a one-day strike aimed at seizing the momentum of sweeping protests that shook Latin America's largest economy last month.
Bus drivers, metalworkers, stevedores and bank tellers were among the unionized workers who took to the streets in at least dozen of Brazil's biggest cities as organized labour sought to push workers' rights to the forefront of the national debate.
In Rio, some protesters staged an occupation downtown before marching to meet up with union members.
Luiz Carlos, a student activist, explained the purpose of continuing the movement sparked in June.
"This massive occupation we're going to do today is just to show that the people taking to the streets are really laying claim to the fact that they have not been answered," Carlos said.
The disruptions, which began during the early morning commute, were limited compared to the mass protests that swept Brazil in June, culminating in its largest demonstrations in two decades and spurring President Dilma Rousseff to pledge reforms.
Some businesses in Rio took no chances, closing for the day and putting up barriers to protect windows.
Union groups played a marginal role in June's protests, which were sparked by outrage over higher bus fares and led to demands for better public services, an end to political corruption and more investment in healthcare and education.
Organized labour is now trying to assert leadership and provide direction for what has been a largely leaderless mass protest movement. Unions are asking for shorter work weeks and more generous pensions among other demands.
Leaders of Brazil's biggest umbrella union, known as CUT, which provides key support for Rousseff's leftist Workers' Party, aimed to channel popular discontent while allaying scepticism that they were late to the movement.
A Rio area union leader, Rogerio Chagas, said he wanted proper attention given to union demands.
"We don't accept anymore being put off or having our list of demands put off. We want to negotiate our demands in full," Chagas said.
Demonstrators briefly blocked dozens of major roads around the country, setting tires ablaze on a freeway outside Rio de Janeiro and marching over an iconic suspension bridge in Sao Paulo's financial district.
Dock workers at Brazil's main shipping ports also joined the 24-hour strike, holding up a sugar vessel and several container ships at the port of Santos south of Sao Paulo, the busiest container port in South America.
While there were notable absences in Sao Paulo, because subway and train workers voted to abstain from Thursday's walkout, the crowd of union members convening on the city's major boulevard was significant.
Demonstrators demanded expanded labour rights for Brazilians while echoing the calls last month for greater investment in public health, education and transportation.
The growing list of grievances puts Rousseff, who is widely expected to run for re-election next year, in a tough spot as she tries to balance the demands for reforms with her government's renewed vows of fiscal responsibility.
Looser fiscal policy, rising inflation and weak economic growth have stoked investor concerns about Brazil's economy in recent months, triggering a broad selloff on the Sao Paulo stock exchange and warnings of a lower sovereign debt rating.
At the same time, the popular unrest nearly halved Rousseff's approval ratings in a matter of weeks to about 30 percent, casting a sudden shadow over the center-left president's political future.
President of Brazilian trade union centre Forca Sindical, Paulo Pereira, is unhappy with Rousseff's performance in office.
"What we hope is that, starting today, the government will open their ears and answer our demands that are already in the hands of President Dilma before she was elected, but sadly until now she has not answered any of our demands," Pereira said.
Rousseff, who took over for the popular former President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, has faced criticism from mayors and defiant allies in Congress this week, even as she announced billions in new spending on public transport and other municipal services aimed at quelling popular discontent. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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