Sanitation workers' unions in the state of Rio de Janeiro unite in a collective assembly.

The unions representing sanitation workers in the State of Rio de Janeiro, SINTSAMA-RJ, SINDÁGUA-RJ, STAECNON-RJ, SENGE-RJ and SINAERJ, joined together in a unified collective assembly early Monday evening (July 12th) to discuss with the category the direction of the negotiation of the 2021/2022 collective bargaining agreement for Cedae employees.

The assembly took place via a virtual platform and was considered by the unions to be one of the largest collective gatherings in recent years, bringing together dozens of workers in a single environment. As a result, the majority of workers voted in favor of collective bargaining and the right to strike, should the need arise during negotiations with the company.

It is worth remembering that even with the fierce struggle by the unions to prevent the sale of the company, on April 30th, Cedae was auctioned off in an event that, in our opinion, was illegal, taking place at the São Paulo Stock Exchange, raising R$ 22.7 billion, a value well above expectations.

Union leaders are organizing themselves with the aim of unifying forces, establishing joint actions, and bringing all workers into the initiatives through a management strategy that seeks to organize a broader and more combative force at the state level.

“I feel fulfilled with everything we are managing to build, even amidst this extremely unfavorable moment in the political, social, public health, and economic spheres. It is in moments like these that we seek strength and new strategies to confront the challenges in pursuit of rights.” – Said Hélio Anomal, president of Staecnon-RJ