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Employees of Eletronuclear in Angra dos Reis Begin Strike for Salary Revision, Demanding Workers’ Rights and Protesting Against Company Measures.
For the first time since its foundation, Eletronuclear faces an indefinite strike by its employees, scheduled to begin at midnight on April 8, Tuesday.
The stoppage, which mainly affects the Almirante Álvaro Alberto Nuclear Power Plant (CNAAA), located in Angra dos Reis (RJ), was announced after years of deadlock in salary negotiations between the state-owned company and the workers.
According to the Angra and Paraty Electricians Union, led by Cássio Tilico, the main issue is the non-payment of the base date, which has accumulated three years of delays.
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Salary Revision Is the Main Point of Tension
The salary claim is at the center of the mobilization. The union reports that Eletronuclear has failed to apply the adjustments foreseen by the Broad Consumer Price Index (IPCA) in the past two years.
According to Tilico, workers are entitled to a 6.76% increase related to the IPCA of 2022 and 3.69% related to the 2023/2024 period. As the base date expires again in May, a third percentage will be added to the debt.
“We have already attempted negotiations with the company. It is self-sufficient and can negotiate since it survives on its own production. However, it claims it cannot pay and uses the situation of Angra 3 as justification. If the Angra 3 project is halted, it cannot withdraw revenue from Angra 1 and 2 to pay off loans. The worker cannot be penalized for a government investment,” says the union president.
Workers Denounce Cutting of Rights and Dismissals
In addition to the salary issue, workers protest against administrative measures that, according to the union, could jeopardize already acquired rights.
One of the complaints is Eletronuclear’s intention to revoke 25 normative instructions, which would pave the way for changes in working conditions without prior consultation with employees or representative entities.
Another criticism is the removal of union participation from the collective dismissal committee. “Now, for example, the company announced it will dismiss 90 people, who will already enter notice,” warns Tilico.
The Eletronuclear base in Angra dos Reis has around 1,250 employees, while the headquarters in Rio de Janeiro has more than 550 collaborators.
Operation of Eletronuclear Plants Will Be Kept at Minimum Legal Level
With the strike ongoing, the operation of the Angra 2 plant will be maintained with the minimum necessary workforce, as required by legislation and the company’s internal protocols.
Tilico assures that 90% of the central’s services will be paralyzed, representing a significant impact on the day-to-day operations of the state-owned company, although he claims it will not compromise nuclear safety.
Response of Eletronuclear: Partial Salary Revision Proposal and Dismissal Plan
In an official statement, Eletronuclear confirmed it has been notified about the stoppage and stated that, so far, there is no forecast of a strike at the Rio de Janeiro unit.
The company claims it has presented a proposal for a 3.69% salary revision based on the IPCA and regrets the deadlock generated by the union entities.
The state-owned company argues that the unions demand the inclusion of clauses that, in the board’s view, “would confer participation in the company’s management power,” which would violate the Corporation Law (Law 6.404/1976) and internal governance norms.
Regarding dismissals, Eletronuclear refutes claims of mass layoffs and clarifies that 133 layoffs are occurring voluntarily as part of a cost-cutting plan, and that another 90 retired workers will also be dismissed throughout 2024.
The company emphasizes that such measures aim to ensure financial sustainability and the maintenance of active job positions.
Negotiation Is Now in the Hands of the Labor Court
Despite the deadlock, Eletronuclear’s management states that it remains open to dialogue with the unions and maintains its proposal for full revision based on the IPCA. However, as the parties did not reach a consensus, the case has been forwarded to the Labor Court for analysis.
The strike, unprecedented in Eletronuclear’s history, reveals the accumulated wear in the relations between the state-owned company’s management and its employees.
Amid questions about transparency, labor rights, and public resource management, the outcome of the stoppage promises to impact not only the future of the company’s workers but also the progress of the Brazilian nuclear sector.
O Brasil sofre com a falta de uma Projeto de Estado para as areas de energia. Empresa Estatal não foi feita para atender acionistas mas sim a sociedade e ao Brasil. È preciso o governo sentar com a classe trabalhadora e ouvir os anseios e necessidades no dia e assim sairmos desse imblóglio administrativo