Workers and GM in deal to avoid job cuts in Brazil

SAO PAULO - Agence France-Presse

American carmaker General Motors and union representatives in Brazil reached a deal late on Aug. 4 to delay at least until November 1,840 possible job cuts at a plant in Sao Paulo state, the union said.

“We reached a deal to delay the dismissal of 1,840 workers that was supposed to take place roughly around this date,” a union envoy told AFP after more than nine hours of talks among union representatives, GM staff and government officials.

In addition the agreement calls for suspending until November the contracts of 940 workers
on the production line in question who will still receive their pay, the union said.

The line will remain open at least until November with 900 people at work. Talk will continue on the future of the production line beyond November.

GM workers have taken to the streets seevral times in recent days saying they hoped to stop what they called a plan for massive job cuts at the plant located in Sao Jose dos Campos. The complex has eight plants and a total of 7,500 workers.