Trade unionists protest throughout Brazil against labor reform

Hundreds of protesters today held protests in several cities in Brazil against the labor reform, approved by the National Congress six months ago, sanctioned by the government of Michel Temer and that takes effect this Saturday.

Rio de Janeiro, Nov 10 (EFE) .- Hundreds of protesters held protests today in several cities in Brazil against the labor reform, approved by the National Congress six months ago, sanctioned by the government of Michel Temer and that takes effect this Saturday.

In Sao Paulo, the largest city in Brazil and where the largest protest was recorded, about 500 people made a march through some of the streets of the city center to concentrate at the head of the Museum of Modern Art (MAM).

The president of the Single Central Workers (CUT, greater union union of the country), Vagner Freitas, who led the demonstration, said that the centrals "will not allow the creation of negotiation commissions without the presence of trade unions to end the rights of workers. "

The warning is a reference to one of the rules of the labor reform that allows agreements negotiated between workers and entrepreneurs have greater legal value than the labor laws themselves.

Podemos deputy Rafael Mayoral, who participated in the march in Sao Paulo, said: "It is no coincidence that Rajoy was the first ruler to visit Temer and the first to recognize him internationally, since they have two similar agendas against the workers and the social majority ... so we embrace the struggle of the Brazilian people in defense of democracy. "

The Government alleges that the reform will make it possible to relax legislation of the 1940s that makes hiring, which will help generate employment and allow a recovery of the Brazilian economy after two years of deep recession.

The new rules give priority, up to above the law, to the agreements that the unions can reach with the companies in matters such as the division of vacations, the flexibilization of the working day, the intervals for lunch, salaries and the replacement of overtime.

The modification of labor laws is part of a fiscal adjustment package proposed by the Executive to rebalance the public accounts of the country and get the economy afloat, which this year has begun to grow after two consecutive years in recession.