Petrobras claims that the defendants are union representatives who have sought to play politics in the hands of the Judiciary, causing both financial and image damage.

Petrobras opted to sue union representatives who filed lawsuits against the sale of company assets. The state-owned company claims compensation for material and moral damages, and argues that the unionists' actions are politically motivated. Focusing on the pre-salt layer, the state-owned company accelerates decommissioning in the Campos Basin.

Petrobras and the representatives of the oil workers have not yet reached an understanding regarding the Collective Bargaining Agreement (ACT) for the category, whose base date is in September.

Until the next 30th, when the agreement currently in effect expires, the parties need to reach an understanding. The Superior Labor Court (TST) is responsible for mediating the negotiations.

The company sued four union members linked to the Single Federation of Petroleum Workers (FUP) and four linked to the National Federation of Petroleum Workers (FNP). One of those mentioned in Petrobras' actions is the coordinator of Sindipetro Norte Fluminense (NF), Tezeu Bezerra.

The state-owned company declares losses with the actions and claims BRL 100 for material and moral damages for each of the accused. Sindipetro-NF states that it stands in solidarity with the unionists mentioned in the Petrobras action.

In a note, Petrobras informed that it respects the right to file a lawsuit and make use of constitutional mechanisms for the defense of rights, but stressed that, precisely based on these same mechanisms, “it does not waive its right to contest, by legal means, abuses committed under the mantle of the right of action.”

The company claims that it is legally questioning practices that it understands as “reckless”, among which the proliferation of actions with the same objective that were filed in different parts of the country.

Petrobras requires “the application of applicable sanctions to its perpetrators, regardless of whether or not they exercise union activity.”

A FUP, in turn, classified Petrobras’ measure as an affront to the Constitution and stated that the objective is “to intimidate and hinder the exercise of one of the fundamental rights of every Brazilian citizen, which is the right to petition.”

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