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In meetings held last Thursday throughout the country, Brazilian bank workers rejected the proposal of 6.1 % increase in wages and benefits presented by Fenaban (National Federation of Banks), the employers’ organisation, and decided to go on strike on September 19 for undetermined time, as recommended by the National Leadership of Bank Workers, coordinated by Contraf-CUT (National Confederation of Financial Sector Workers) and composed by the largest local unions and regional federations.



Besides denying real increase in general wages, in wage floors, in profit share and in all wage benefits (the 6.1% increase covers only the inflation rate of the period of a year), the proposal ignores all bank workers’ demands on jobs, health and working conditions, security against bank robberies and equal opportunities.



"We warned banks at the negotiating table that this proposal was a provocation. For a sector whose top six companies had net income of around US$ 13 billion in the first semester of the year and that keeps the highest profit rate of the planet , due to the increasing productivity of their workers, the presentation of such proposal means pushing bank workers to strike ," said Carlos Cordeiro , president of Contraf-CUT and coordinator of the National Leadership .



"Despite these record profits, banks are cutting jobs and worsening working conditions, with more sales targets and bullying at the workplace. This situation has caused an outbreak of work-related diseases among workers. Due to lack of investment in security, the number of bank robberies, work-related kidnappings and deaths have been increasing. However, the employers refuse to discuss these issues. Therefore, the only way out is to go on strike, "adds Cordeiro.



Source: Contraf-CUT