The current president of the Federation of Industries of the State of São Paulo, Josué Gomes, and his predecessor, Paulo Skaf, signed today (26) a joint note that promises to “overcoming differences” in running the entity. Over the past few months, Gomes has faced internal resistance from a group of employers’ unions dissatisfied with his management. On January 16, during the Fiesp assembly, the current president was voted off, which not officially recognized.
Gomes took over the presidency last year for a term that runs until 2025. He replaced Skaf, who had been in office for 17 years. Despite the fact that the election of the current president of Fiesp was supported by Skaf, the two expressed divergent positions in the presidential elections of 2022. In August, Fiesp, already under the command of Josué Gomes, articulated a letter in defense of democracy, together with other representations of business, intellectuals and civil society organizations. Skaf was a supporter of Jair Bolsonaro.
The joint note points out that this moment represented “one of the great challenges in the entity’s history of more than 90 years”. “Thus, we decided to use all our energy, leadership and articulation capacity to strengthen our entity and drive, from it, the process of reindustrialization of our country, fundamental for socioeconomic advancement and the realization of the noblest aspirations of our country. population”, says the text.
The document, hand-signed by both, indicates that the participation of “all affiliated unions, through their leaders” is essential for the proper functioning of the federation. “It is also essential that the recognition of those sectors formed by small and medium-sized companies, fundamental employers, be continuous and representative”, they add. Gomes and Skaf conclude by asking that any differences be abandoned.
