Binational ex-workers closed the Friendship Bridge last Friday.
Former Itaipu Binacional workers and contractor companies continue their fight to be able to receive labor benefits that their Brazilian peers already received more than 30 years ago. For 20 days they have been mobilizing through a new organization. They installed themselves on the dam’s access barrier and last Friday they even closed the Friendship Bridge for a few minutes.
The intention is to draw the attention of the binational authorities. This new sector will be recognized by the entity and will form part of a working group. There is mistrust among the ex-workers themselves, which is why they decided to leave UNETIB-MD and form what they called the Association of Ex-Workers of Itaipu Binacional, Right Bank (ASETRIMD).
The UNETIB managed to obtain the sanction of a law, but it was vetoed by the National Executive and when they returned to Parliament they were unable to add the necessary number of votes and time simply passed and it had a fictitious sanction. Despite the fact that this situation is already beyond the control of the UNITIB leadership, internal sectors managed to divide them and are now seeking to open their own front for talks.
The struggle of the ex-workers has been going on for more than 3 decades and affects some 16,000 ex-workers distributed throughout the Republic. The vast majority are already older adults, with chronic diseases that claim the collection of some 940 million dollars. In the capital there is a strong campaign against it, supporting the version of the National Executive that sees the execution of the demanded payment as simply impossible.
