The Brazilian independent media collective Midia Ninja posted a video and a news report [1] [pt] on Youtube that expose the violence of the Military Police of São Paulo against subway workers on a peaceful strike in the early hours of June 5, 2014. The video shows riot police officers charging against workers on strike with shots of rubber bullet at close range:
The report also indicates that less than a week to go before the World Cup, the strike “triggered by the Subway Union (…), affected about 4.6 million users of Metro on Thursday”, 5 June:
A categoria tentou de todas as formas negociar pelos seus direitos sem prejudicar usuários mas nenhuma proposta foi aceita até então pela Secretaria de Transporte do Estado.
Os Metroviários chegaram inclusive a propor a catraca livre enquanto forma de manter o protesto sem afetar a população: “Seria uma alternativa à paralização”, propôs o presidente do Sindicato Altino de Melo Prazeres Júnior. Geraldo Alckmin, Governador do Estado e responsável pela gestão do Metrô, afirma que o movimento é “político e sem sentido”, e atua com a força militar da polícia para impedir a reivindicação trabalhlista prevista em Lei.
Ao menos um trabalhador foi preso. A greve do Metrô continua por tempo indeterminado.
The workers tried in every way to negotiate their rights without harming users but no proposal was accepted hitherto by the Secretary of Transportation of the State.
The Subway workers have even proposed a free pass as a way to keep the protest without affecting the population: “It would be an alternative to the standstill”, proposed the president of the Union, Altino Prazeres Melo Júnior. Geraldo Alckmin, governor of the State and responsible for managing the Metro, says the move is “political and meaningless”, and works with the military police force to prevent the labour claim provided by Law
At least one worker was arrested. The subway strike continues indefinitely.