Labor Day in SP has a protest against hunger and inflation

After two editions held virtually due to the pandemic, the Labor Day organized by the union centrals returned to the streets of São Paulo this year with protests against hunger, inflation and the escalation of famine in Brazil.

Held in Charles Miller Square, in front of the Pacaembu stadium, the event had an audience well below the expected 100,000 people and was marked by attacks on President Jair Bolsonaro (PL) and requests to vote for Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (PT).

The event started around 10 am this Sunday (1st). Complaints against rising prices of essential products in the country set the tone for speeches by union leaders.

“The situation is very serious, the famine is taking over the supermarket. The people are not able to buy enough food for home, families are taking to the streets because of the impressive rise in rents. This situation cannot continue” said Ubiraci Dantas , vice-president of CTB (Central dos Trabalhadores do Brasil).

A similar protest was made by Renê Vicente, president of the CTB in São Paulo, who recalled recent episodes of people vying for bone remains to take home.

“Our people are in line to get bones from the slaughterhouses to make soup, while Brazil is the largest meat exporter in the world. We cannot accept this situation,” he said.

Congressman Orlando Silva (PCdoB – SP) was also at the act and began his speech saying that hunger is once again part of the Brazilian reality.

“Where have you seen R$150 for a gas cylinder? People couldn’t buy meat, they switched to chicken. [Depois] changed from chicken to egg, and even eggs can’t be bought anymore”, he said. “It is against famine, against hunger and against unemployment that the 1st of May is raised in São Paulo and throughout Brazil”, he added.

In addition to Orlando Silva, the act was also attended by Lula and other political figures, such as Fernando Haddad, PT pre-candidate for the government of São Paulo, and Guilherme Boulos, leader of the MTST (Movimento dos Trabalhadores Sem Ceto). Gleisi Hoffmann, PT president, councilor Eduardo Suplicy (PT) and federal deputy Ivan Valente (PSOL-SP) also participated in the event.

In a campaign-style speech, which lasted just over 15 minutes, Lula defended the real increase in the minimum wage, criticized the escalation of inflation and took a stand against the privatization of Eletrobras.

“If Eletrobras is privatized, there will never be a program like Luz Para Todos to bring energy to the family and the poor people.”

The former president also made nods to app workers.

“We will have to sit at a table and regulate the lives of people who work with apps. We will have to say that these companions cannot be treated as if they were slaves. They must have the right to a health program, to a social assistance program, medical assistance, they have to have insurance when they crash their car, motorcycle or bicycle,” said Lula.

The topic was also addressed by Guilherme Boulos. According to him, the Labor Day demonstrations began in 1886 with a strike that defended the eight-hour day.

“When we look at it today, almost 150 years later, there are young people working 12 hours a day on a motorcycle or behind a steering wheel without having a labor right”, he said.

labor reform

During the act, some union leaders asked for the repeal of labor reforms, Social Security and the spending cap.

Among political figures, Boulos was one of the few to mention the topic in his speech. “May this be the last May 1 with a criminal labor reform that took away our rights,” he said.

In his speech, Lula did not talk about revoking the labor reform, but said that if any candidate better than Bolsonaro wins the elections, union leaders will be invited to discuss ways to “reestablish working conditions and respect for workers’ rights.” .

The theme marks a controversy in the PT presidential campaign. The party federation program that will bring together PT, PC do B and PV included the repeal of the reform in its program letter recently. A draft document referred to the term “review”, but it was changed after discussions.

In an interview with the Panel SA column, the secretary general of Força Sindical, João Carlos Gonçalves, known as Juruna, said that it is an illusion to think that Lula will revoke the labor reform at the stroke of a pen.

“This is deception. I believe that there will be negotiation between the parties: workers, businessmen, the state and parliament, which will vote on the proposal that, by chance, an agreement is reached,” he said.