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A series of layoffs has sparked controversy over performance evaluation systems. According to the company, the process follows clear rules, but the union questions its objectivity and demands a review. The case raises concerns about job stability and possible impacts on services offered to the population.
Few things are as alarming to workers as the fear of sudden layoffs. And when layoffs occur at one of a city’s major service companies, the impact extends far beyond the affected sector.
In Joinville, a recent controversy involving Companhia Águas de Joinville (CAJ) brought to the fore debates about performance evaluations and workers' rights.
A iInformation about the layoffs was published by the newspaper NSCtotal. According to the website, the Company itself reports that five professionals were fired after failing to achieve the minimum grade required in their Performance Assessments.
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The Union of Workers in Water and Sewage Service Companies of Joinville (Sintraej) reacted, calling the process subjective and asking for the reinstatement of those dismissed.
How CAJ performance reviews work
According to Resolution 01/2023 of the Águas de Joinville Company, Assessments are carried out annually to measure employee performance.
This mechanism, which is aligned with the Job, Career and Salary Plan (PCCS), is described as a tool for planning professional training and qualification.
However, the same document also establishes that An employee who registers two consecutive evaluations with a grade equal to or lower than 60% may be dismissed due to insufficient performance..
The standard has been applied since 2018, and all workers are informed about the criteria adopted.
In the recent case, the grades of the affected professionals varied between 52% and 59% in the years 2023 and 2024.
The layoffs occurred despite the workers' attempts to present a defense against the results obtained.
Sintraej's position
The Workers' Union, represented by its president Edson da Silva, contested the dismissals and pointed out that the evaluation system had been distorted from its original function.
According to him, “the evaluation does not assess anyone’s performance, it has become an evaluation for dismissal”.
Edson da Silva also highlighted that The union demands a review of the process, proposing a fairer system that prioritizes the development of workers instead of penalizing them.
He also advocates for greater transparency in established goals and ongoing support for teams to understand expectations regarding their roles.
According to Sintraej, the dismissed workers held various positions, such as sanitation engineer, plumber, administrative assistant, mechanical technician and station operator.
The union argues that these professionals already had accumulated experience and training, which is detrimental not only to them, but also to the quality of the service offered to the population of Joinville.
What does the Joinville Water Company say?
In an official statement, the CAJ defended the validity of the process and explained that the dismissals occurred within legal limits and respecting the deadlines for the employees' defense.
The company highlighted that the evaluation model adopted aims to ensure the quality of services provided to the population and promote the professional growth of workers.
The company also clarified that, as a private company, it does not offer the same job stability guaranteed to public servants.
This distinction is important to understand the context of the dismissals, since the CAJ follows different rules than those practiced by the City of Joinville.
Despite the controversy, CAJ reiterated its commitment to transparency and legality, stating that all professionals are aware of the rules from the moment they are hired.
Impacts on the population and future reflections
The situation raised an important debate about the criteria used to measure performance and the need to ensure more objective assessments that are less subject to subjective interpretations.
Although the Company argues that the model has a technical basis, The Union and several workers fear that it is being used as a justification for layoffs.
This episode also raises concerns among other company workers, who may feel insecure about their professional stability.
Furthermore, the population served by Águas de Joinville may also be affected if the loss of experienced employees impacts the efficiency of services.
What does the future hold?
The discussion is still likely to yield developments, as Sintraej continues to press for a review of the dismissals and the evaluation model.
Meanwhile, CAJ workers are experiencing a time of uncertainty, with the episode serving as a warning to other companies that use similar performance measurement systems.
Based on situations like these, do you believe that performance evaluations in companies should be reviewed? Does the public also have something to fear from this type of practice? Leave your opinion in the comments!
This practice is literally against employees, and a gateway to dismiss without paying labor rights and using 100% cheap labor, exploitation of individual labor and a type of modern slavery, needs to be reviewed, analyzed by the city councilors and punish those who benefit from this negative attitude. I strongly repudiate it.
Mobsters firing workers for doing their jobs.
I completely agree, I even suggest that it be extended to other careers, starting with the PM's and JUDICIARY 😁