MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

No progress in Brazilian airline workers' strike

The workers did not find Thursday's meeting between union leaders and the Superior Labor Court (TST) in Brasilia satisfactory

Brazil's National Union of Aeronauts (SNA) workers Thursday voted against a new proposal and thus their strike went into its fifth consecutive day, affecting airline operations at the country's largest air terminals.

During a virtual assembly Thursday evening, 59.25% of the participants rejected the offer and decided to keep not working two hours every morning, causing delays and cancelations.

The workers did not find Thursday's meeting between union leaders and the Superior Labor Court (TST) in Brasilia satisfactory.

According to Folha de S. Paulo, SNA President Henrique Hacklaender said the proposal was rejected by 59.25% of the 5,084 participants of the virtual meeting. Folha also said that “the airlines offered the workers a total replacement of inflation measured by INPC of 5.97%, plus 1% real increase. According to the proposal, the adjustment applies to fixed and variable salaries, payment of daily rates throughout the country, insurance, fines for breach of the collective agreement, and food vouchers.”

The aeronauts initially asked for a 5% increase and an inflation adjustment. “Besides the lower proposal of 1%, the crew members did not manage to include in the collective agreement a definition for time off and rules that prevent companies from changing rest periods,” the newspaper also said.

Most inconveniences have been reported to stem from flights bound for or arriving from one of Sao Paulo's three terminals: Guarulhos, Congonhas, and Viracopos.