After weeks of assemblies across the country, workers at the Petrobras System approved the launch of a national strike starting at midnight on Monday (15). 
The decision was taken after the rejection of the second counter-proposal presented by the state-owned company for the Collective Labor Agreement (ACT), considered insufficient by the entities representing the category.
The new proposal was delivered by Petrobras on Tuesday (9), but, according to the unions, does not advance the three central points of the negotiations: the search for a definitive solution for Petros’ Deficit Equating Plans (PEDs), which directly impact the income of retirees and pensioners; improvements in the job and salary plan, with guarantees of restoration without the application of fiscal adjustment mechanisms; and the so-called Sovereign Brazil agenda, which defends the maintenance of Petrobras as a public company and a business model aimed at strengthening the state-owned company.
The Single Federation of Oil Workers (FUP) states that, in addition to not presenting conclusive answers on the PEDs — a topic discussed for almost three years with the government and participant entities — the company also did not offer consistent solutions for other pending issues accumulated throughout the negotiation process.
With the rejection of the counterproposal, the unions say they will officially notify Petrobras about the strike on Friday (12), meeting the legal deadlines.
Vigil
Before the start of the strike, retirees and pensioners from different regions of the country resumed, this Thursday (11), a vigil in front of the Senado Building (Edisen), Petrobras headquarters in Rio de Janeiro. The mobilization demands a solution to Petros’ concerns and must continue during the negotiation period.
The actions also take place in parallel with agendas in Brasília, where representatives of the category participate in meetings with members of the government and the Quadripartite Commission, formed by Petrobras, the Secretariat for Coordination and Governance of State Companies (Sest), the National Superintendency of Supplementary Pensions (Previc) and entities that are part of the Forum in Defense of Petros Participants and Assistees.
The FUP and the unions state that they remain open to dialogue, but highlight that the results of the assemblies and the mobilization calendar indicate the category’s strong willingness to press for progress in the ACT negotiations.
Positioning of the state-owned company
Petrobras sent its official position in a note to the report. The text says:
“Petrobras maintains a permanent dialogue channel with union entities, regardless of external agendas or public demonstrations promoted. At the moment, the company is negotiating its Collective Labor Agreement and has regularly participated in meetings with union federations to discuss its proposal and the agenda for demands.
The company presented, this Tuesday (09/12), a new proposal that includes advances for the category and hopes to conclude the new agreement at the negotiation table with the unions.
Petrobras respects the right of employees to demonstrate and, if necessary, will adopt contingency measures to continue its activities.”
