After ten days of strike, Sonaca metalworkers achieved improvements in their health plan and job stability. The agreement between the Union and the company was approved at a meeting on Thursday afternoon (25).
The mobilization has the flavor of victory mainly because it was carried out in a company in the aeronautical sector, which is highly repressive and which imposes worse working conditions on its workers compared to the rest of the category.
The proposal emerged after three hearings mediated by the Public Ministry of Labor (MPT) and direct negotiations between the Union and company management.
Among the improvements to the health plan, the agreement provides for the end of co-participation for pregnant women and people who have dependents with autism and the reduction of co-participation for other employees.
Metalworkers also achieved 60 days of job stability, counting from the end of the strike.
In addition, the factory will pay for half of the hours stopped due to the strike. The rest will be compensated by the workers.
No retaliation
Sonaca management guaranteed that there will be no retaliation from the factory against workers who joined the strike. During the days of strike, there were several reports of harassment and threats to workers by management. In an attempt to reach an agreement, the Union sent a letter to Sonaca’s headquarters in Belgium.
“There were ten days of a lot of struggle and pressure from the workers, and the result is there. We achieved improvements in health insurance and job stability. The Sonaca comrades set an example that, with unity and mobilization, it is possible to advance our rights”, says the director of the Union José Eduardo Gabriel, known as Bob.
Factory will have health professionals
The Union also demanded internal measures from Sonaca to help workers who have any health problems while working. The company committed to hiring a healthcare professional to work in the company’s outpatient clinic.
In March, sealer Adilson Alves de Carvalho fell ill inside the factory and had to go to the hospital in an app car because the factory had no healthcare professional or ambulance. After the emergency, he was hospitalized and faced serious health plan bureaucracy. Unfortunately, Adilson died on April 15th. The mobilization was also a form of tribute to the worker.
The Sonaca metalworkers’ strike began on April 16, after months of dissatisfaction with the new health plan imposed by the company without prior negotiation with the Union or workers.
Sonaca is part of the aeronautical sector and is a partner of Embraer.
