Employees and former employees denounce the lack of salary payments and labor agreements by Leader Magazine in Rio | Rio de Janeiro

Employees and former employees of Leader Magazine stores in Rio de Janeiro claim that the chain is violating labor agreements. The reports include the absence of payments, including salaries and benefits since February this year, and termination fines since mid-2023.

The Rio Commerce Workers Union points out that, in the city of Rio de Janeiro alone, 212 employees are awaiting receipt of their severance pay. This number could be even higher considering the traders in stores in other cities in Greater Rio, such as São Gonçalo, Niterói and Nilópolis.

The situation is worsened by the turbulent period faced by the company in recent years, marked by the closing of stores and mass layoffs that occurred from December to April. The company is undergoing judicial recovery – a process in which the company renegotiates its debts with its creditors, seeking to avoid bankruptcy and continue its operations in a viable manner.

In the last year alone, around 30 stores closed their doors out of a total of 100 branches of the chain existing in RJ, including the first unit, founded in the city of Miracema, North of the State. Currently, only 16 units are in operation in the Metropolitan Region of Rio.

The company, in an email obtained by g1, stated to one of its employees that it will not be able to make payments due to the prolonged financial crisis since 2020 and the judicial recovery process. In the email, payment is promised for April.

According to reports, several employees at the Distribution Center, located in Paciência, West Zone of Rio, are also without pay. Many of those affected depend on these payments for basic needs like food and shelter.

An employee, who prefers not to identify herself, says she worked at Leader as a CLT for 20 years. Upon being terminated in September 2023, she received the proposal to continue working as a Legal Entity and made an agreement to receive her FGTS, in addition to the termination fine in installments. After 3 installments, she did not receive any more. As for her salary, as she still works at the company as a PJ, she has not been paid since February.

“Both ‘Legal Person’ employees and those who work with a formal contract are not being paid. I have children and one of them needs specialized psychological care, which generates costs that I cannot afford not to have,” he reports.

The Rio Business Workers Union, representing workers fired by Leader Magazine, reached an agreement to regularize the payment of severance pay. In the proposal, approved by the workers, the installments must be made in up to six equal installments, observing the minimum installment equivalent to the worker’s last salary.

“The payment of the installments is delayed. Therefore, we have already contacted the company and are awaiting a response”, stated Márcio Ayer, president of the Trade Union of Rio.

Faced with this situation, many workers consider turning to the Labor Court to guarantee their rights. According to labor lawyer Amanda Alves, the lack of payment of wages and other food allowances constitutes serious misconduct on the part of the employer, which may lead workers to request indirect termination of the contract.

“Workers can terminate the contract and cancel their employment record. The question is when they will pay the funds. As a result, they will only receive, effectively, together with the other workers who are already included in the judicial recovery plan, considering that there is a line of creditors and an agreement promoted by the Union”, he explains.

Leader Magazine did not give a new date for the payment of salaries or severance pay for former employees, but states that steps are being taken to regularize the situation.

“Payments are being made as resources come in. From May 1st, sales will be reestablished and the stores will have full stock. We are prioritizing the payment of employees and former employees and inputs for the operation of the store”, explained Elizeu Lima, external consultant for Leader Magazine in the Judicial Recovery process.

*Intern, under the supervision of Joao Ricardo Gonçalves