Sao Paulo metro strike is called off but threat remains to World Cup

2014-06-10 34

A strike by metro workers in Sao Paulo, Brazil’s biggest city has been suspended.
But the industrial action could resume on the opening day of FIFA’s 2014 World Cup.

A union spokesperson said the strike could start again on June 12 depending on whether 42 workers who have been fired are re-instated.

The walkout is in support of a 12 percent pay claim which is well above the company’s offer of 8.7 percent.

On Monday police fired teargas at metro workers who were holding a rally in Sao Paulo city centre.

Brazil has experienced months of unrest and pay strikes as anger has boiled over at the cost of staging football’s most important tournament .

In Rio de Janeiro striking teachers were the latest group to protest . They added their voices to demands for the government to spend more on education and healthcare.

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