Companies release workers for lessons on unions

Automakers release employees for classes of trade unionism
Author (s): John Villaverde, São Bernardo do Campo
Valor Econômico - 15/07/2010





The Union of Metalworkers of ABC, Mercedes Benz and Ford begin next week to implement a new experience. The two automakers will release all its metallurgical one days work per year to have classes on unionism.

Imagine a company release all their manpower to go to the union workers for a day of class on unionism. Imagine now that the company or companies concerned are not small companies, but employers of more than 70 000 workers. That will happen in Sao Bernardo do Campo starting next week, when the metalworkers union, ABC begins the first class of 120 employees of Mercedes-Benz the first manufacturer to ratify the agreement with the union in collective agreement October 2009. At about 12 thousand employees of Mercedes will be added to 4500 workers at Ford, which signed a similar agreement this week.

In Mercedes Registration for classes is now open. The workers will be taken by coach to the country club of the union, where they will be for a whole day in classrooms with televisions and teachers. "The world has changed. The union, businesses and the state have changed over the past 30 years. And the worker, youngest, knows that evolution," said Sergio Nobre, president of the union. The idea has been discussed since 2003 when the elected members in trade union committees consisting of 96 companies in the region now include the claim on the staff negotiated annually. Last year, the automakers and parts makers have agreed to release their employees for the course. The Mercedes was first to ratify the agreement in late June.

According to Marcos Alves, director of personnel management of Mercedes Benz in San Bernardo, the automaker estimates that the course will "definitely consolidate" the relationship built between the company and union. "We have a continuous negotiation with the union," said Alves, who spoke with value yesterday after the meeting "Sunday Extra", which occurs weekly between company insiders and directors of the company's works. "The course will also teach that we negotiate continuously for 25 years," said Ahmad, referring to the committee of the union in the Mercedes factory, established in 1984 - the first in the region.

Criticized last year for achieving adjustment in real wages than other polos car as Sao Jose dos Campos, Campinas and Parana, the union president, ABC estimates that "the worker must understand that the union needs to walk along the region." For Noble, "you can not drive away business and investment here, because otherwise the result would be worse for jobs."

After hitting rock bottom in 2003 when the base metal in the ABC region reached 77.4 thousand workers, the heating time is economical. Last month, the region has again hit the mark of 100 000 workers, regaining the level of 2008, then a record of the decade. "Employment is growing and the worker entering is becoming younger," says Noble.

Nearly 20,000 auto workers at ABC are under 24 years of age. The share of those over 40 years, yet most - representing about 35% of total - lost space. At Mercedes, the average age of the worker, according to the union, is 32 years. "That means that the majority were born in the late 1970s, just when the big strikes have occurred and the conflicts of the union with the companies and the state. Now the situation is completely different from the last three decades," says Walter Souza, committee member union in the Mercedes and the course coordinator, called "Work and Citizenship Program."

To account for the huge number of workers, the union has already been anticipated. At the end of last year bought a building near her seat for $ 1.5 million in municipal auction. The building will be renovated and should be available for lessons at the end of the year. In addition, classes held in May-pilot, who served as a test for the developed material. "We watched movies, we were introduced to the history of unions and businesses and received CD-ROM and handouts," says Priscilla Lucena, who works on the assembly line of Ford trucks and participated in one of these classes.

"Not only the union, but companies have a rich history. The two institutions are very important to our region and I, who come from a family of metalworkers, knew nothing of it," says Priscilla. With 25 years of age and slightly more than two at Ford, his first job as a metal, Priscilla says "know your work better now."

According to data from the Department of Inter Inter Research and Statistics (Dieese), the average wages of metalworkers in the four cities represented by the union of the ABC - Sao Bernardo do Campo, Diadema, Ribeirão Pires and Rio Grande da Serra - is R $ 2.9 thousand, U.S. $ 2100 in parts and $ 5100 in the assembly - the highest in the industry in the country.

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