The Metropolitan Company of São Paulo (Metrô) did not manifest itself until 23h of this Thursday (23) on the proposal of conciliation of the Public Prosecutor’s Office (MPT) presented in the beginning of the night, in conciliation hearing between the company and the union of subway workers, at the Regional Labor Court (TRT) of São Paulo. Without the agreement with the Metrô, the subway workers decided to continue the strike, which started today.
In an assembly that ended at 9:40 pm, the metro workers conditioned the return to work to one of two conditions: the Metro accepts the proposal from the MPT or the company allows the trains to operate without charging for tickets, the so-called free turnstile, while the negotiations last.
The proposal presented today by the MPT suggested the payment of an allowance of BRL 2,500 per worker, per year, from 2020 to 2022; the cancellation of punishments and guarantee of non-retaliation to the strikers; and the absence of discounts for days off due to the strike.
In a note released at 11:08 pm, the Metrô makes no reference to the MPT’s proposal nor to releasing the turnstiles. “The São Paulo Metropolitan Company (Metrô) will continue with a contingency plan to guarantee passenger service this Friday,” said the text of the note.
The company also said that it obtained an injunction in court that determines the operation of 80% of the subway service at peak times (between 6am and 10am and between 4pm and 8pm) and 60% at other times during the entire period of stoppage.
However, on Thursday night, judge Eliane Aparecida da Silva Pedroso, from the TRT, issued a decision in a different direction from that obtained by the Metrô in the morning. The magistrate decided not to set a minimum number of employees who must work during the strike, and allowed the adoption of free turnstiles at Metro stations.
In the understanding of the judge, as there are two decisions in different directions, subway workers will be able to choose one of the two. “If I maintain my decision, there will be two decisions and the union will choose the one that is convenient for it”, he explained at the end of the conciliation hearing.
The judge also fined Metrô R$100,000 for publicly announcing, this morning, that she would accept to release the turnstiles and, at the same time, go to court, with a writ of mandamus, asking that the measure – the release of the turnstiles – was prohibited.
Facultative point
Governor Tarcísio de Freitas decreed an optional point in state public offices in the capital of São Paulo and the metropolitan region this Friday (24). The measure will be published in the Official Gazette this Friday (24).
Mayor Ricardo Nunes also decreed an optional point in public offices in the capital, with the exception of essential services such as funeral service, service units of the Health and Social Assistance departments, the entire municipal education network and Urban Security. Following the example of the governor’s decision, the measure will be published in the Official Gazette on Friday.
