Dismissed workers camp outside Mercedes-Benz plant in São Bernardo

Some 300 workers dismissed by Mercedes-Benz in São Bernardo do Campo, São Paulo, are camping in front of the plant in protest against the termination of 500 employees on temporary layoff. Another 250 workers remain laid off and 7,000 were sent on involuntary leave from a total 10,500 in the local plant. The local unit makes trucks, bus chassis, and engines. Workers on leave are due to return next Monday.

The general coordinator of the Workers' Union Committee d with the local Metalworkers' Union, Angelo Máximo de Oliveira Pinho (Max), said the layoffs and terminations are not only impacting employees themselves and their families, but also the local business in the surroundings which is reliant on the employees. “This is a mass layoff and we want to dialogue with the society to ask for , and with the company to make it aware of its responsibility to each dismissed employee.”

Countering Mercedes-Benz's labor surplus claims, Max said the layoffs were unexpected and the employees were trying to find alternatives in their negotiations with the company. He conceded the workers recognize the market downturn, but said, “This is a temporary situation and we believe that the economy and the vehicle market will recover. (...) The company is losing skilled labor with experience in industrial production processes.”

Through a spokesperson, Mercedes-Benz reaffirmed that due to a sharp drop in truck and bus sales in Brazil since last year, it had to terminate employment of part of its temporarily laid off workforce  in São Bernardo do Campo. The company also said that “given the continuing decline in sales (and subsequently in production), the company sent all production areas on involuntary leave in June 1-15. Faced with uncertainties about economic recovery and the impossibility of keeping its complete workforce, Mercedes-Benz Brazil unfortunately was compelled to enforce these layoffs.”

Translated by Mayra Borges