CONTAC and CUT mobilize 20,000 to demand decent working conditions for Brazilian poultry workers

Posted to the IUF website 20-Aug-2007

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On 15 August, Brazilian IUF-affiliated National Food Workers' Confederation (CONTAC), the CUT and the IUF Regional Office for Latin America successfully mobilized more than 20,000 people in Brazilia demanding to reduce line speed and
daily working hours to a maximum of six in industrial poultry processing. The rally ended at the presidential Palacio del Planalto, with the demonstrators and union representatives urging the Brazilian government and legislators to swiftly pass corrective legislation.


"They did not catch up with line speed".

Brazil established its position of world leader in the poultry export sector precisely through an intensive work pace and unbearable working hours that resulted into 25% of the Brazilian poultry processing workforce to be victim of Repetitive Strain Injury (RSI).
CONTAC's President Siderlei de Oliveira also commented the rally's motto 'The employers' agenda is not ours' as follows: "employers seek to reduce workers rights, to make the public social security system cheaper for them and push for a private one. Our agenda, instead, is to improve and enhance the social security system so that it provides wider and better coverage to more people".

To view the photo gallery of the event on the IUF regional office for Latin America website click here .