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Cash in Transit unions in 13 Brazilian states are threatening a national one-day strike, against abuses by the Spanish security firm Prosegur in the country. Prosegur is responsible 60% of the Cash In Transit market in Brazil.

Prosegur is being accused by unions of not reinforcing its armored Cash In Transit vehicles, which unions allege has caused the deaths of workers at the company. The total number of Prosegur workers killed globally in 2014 was 18 according to the company's Annual Report. In Brazil, cash-in-transit vehicles are being targeting by organised crime groups sometimes using weapons normally only used by the army, including bazookas. Prosegur guards are complaining that they have old obsolete guns and that the vehicles aren't properly armoured.” 

Prosegur guards complain that their vehicles are not armoured well enough to handle armed attacks.

The company is also accused of excessive working hours, harassment of union members and the dismissal of union leaders in the State of Ceará.

According to the communication from the Federation of Cash In Transit Workers (FINTRAVE), “We have no other alternative but to mobilize workers in a national strike, so that the management of the company wakes up from their inertia and realizes that workers are not their slaves”.

The behaviour of Prosegur in Brazil is consistent with other countries in Latin America where the company is repeatedly accused of violating the human rights of its own workers in Colombia, Peru, Paraguay and Chile.  

Source: FINTRAVE