Justice suspends layoffs in Caoa Chery

The Labor Court granted, this Friday (27), an injunction suspending the layoffs of workers at Caoa Chery, in Jacareí (SP). The decision, by judge Lucas Cilli Horta, of the 2nd Labor Court, is a response to a request made by the Metalworkers Union.

According to the union, the company sent layoff cables and emails to about 580 workers. If it does not comply with the injunction, retroactive to May 24, the automaker will be subject to a daily fine of BRL 50,000. When contacted, Caoa said it would not comment.

According to the document, the union asked for the “precautionary suspension of all contractual terminations, in an urgent guardianship”. The judge argued that, unlike individual dismissals, “collective dismissals would give rise to the prior need for collective bargaining, considering the social impact they cause”.

“The employment contracts covered by this decision should be immediately reinstated, with retroactive effect to the date of dismissal, as well as the re-established contractual obligations”, the judge’s decision follows.

China’s Caoa Chery announced earlier this month that it will interrupt vehicle production at the Jacareí plant, its main facility in the country, to adapt the unit to the production of hybrid and electric cars.

The company’s proposal, rejected by workers, involved paying 7 to 15 nominal wages to those laid off, without benefits, the union said.

Also according to the entity, since the beginning of negotiations, five months of lay-off and three more months of stability were proposed, in an attempt to preserve jobs.

“We also demand the permanence of the automaker in the municipality. The company insists on paying only a social indemnity”, says the union.

“The lay-off plan was accepted by the automaker, as recorded in the minutes of a meeting held on the 10th. However, shortly afterwards, Caoa Chery refused to honor the commitment and reversed its decision”, says the entity. representing the category.

The breach of this agreement was one of the arguments used by the union when asking for the injunction.

“It was a great victory for the fight and determination of the metallurgists in defense of jobs. We showed once again that one should not surrender rights and accept layoffs. The workers of Caoa Chery and Avibras are brave fighters and are already part of the history of our category”, said the president of the Union, Weller Gonçalves, in a note.

The category also came to occupy the company’s factory, which has been stopped since the end of March, and protested in front of the Chinese Consulate, in São Paulo.

In April, 185,400 light and heavy vehicles were produced in the country – a drop of 2.9% compared to the same month in 2021, according to Anfavea (association of automakers)

with Reuters