Brazilian unionists initiate COVID-19 dialogue with state governor

10 June 2020 07:55

The Trade Union of Workers in the Civil Construction of Porto Alegre (STICC-POA), a BWI affiliated organization in Brazil, Rio Grande do Sul State, has initiated a bipartite social dialogue process with State Governor Eduardo Leite to identify and define future joint actions and points of cooperation on the reopening of the construction sector amidst COVID-19. 

STICC-POA reported that it has made available to the state government all its infrastructure, such as its vacation camps and union headquarters, in order to be used as accommodation, testing centers and relief areas for people who have been affected by COVID-19.

“The union will keep in constant communication with the state government to jointly attend to the creation of special health and safety at work (OSH) protocols and the protection of decent jobs once the worksites are 100 percent active,” STICC-POA President Gelson Santana said. 

As of 10 June, Brazil has 742,000 COVID-19 cases and 38,497 deaths. In the State of Rio Grande do Sul, there are 10,398 cases and 258 deaths.