Marfrig does not fire, but maintains a closed factory

PORTO ALEGRE-Decided to suspend the activities of the factory definitely located in Alegrete, in Western Rio Grande do Sul, Marfrig maintained unit doors closed on Tuesday, 3, day in which employees would return to layoffs. As a court ruling forbade the company to dismiss the 648 workers until an agreement with the syndicate of category, the solution found was to keep them at home on paid leave.
The Marfrig reported in mid-December that would close the unit of Alegrete, claiming low supply of cattle in the region. The initial intention was to occur at the beginning of 2017 shutdowns, so employees return from vacation. Only on the last day of decision 28 1 labor courts suspended the mass resignation. The injunction prevents the company from terminating contracts before there is a negotiation with the Union of workers in Food industry of Alegrete (STIAA). The fine provided for in the event of non-compliance is of 100 million R$.
In note to Broadcast, news in real time system of Grupo Estado, Marfrig reiterated that, in compliance with the injunction issued by Justice of Alegrete, "the terminations are suspended momentarily. The company clarifies that salaries for the month of January will be paid "in respect of paid leave".
In the note, Marfrig says also that is open to collective bargaining with the category. The first conciliation hearing has not yet been scheduled. The Union isn''t nurtures hopes to reverse the Marfrig''s decision and, therefore, will focus efforts on trying to ensure compensation to workers in addition to the termination. The idea is to claim the payment of health insurance and other benefits for at least six months.
"We know that it is very difficult that they back", said the President of the STIAA, Marcos Rosse. According to him, the company would have begun to take machinery and equipment from inside the fridge. The idea is to strengthen the operation of Bagé and São Gabriel, also in Rio Grande do Sul.
Farmers dispute the reason presented by Marfrig to end the work in Alegrete. They argue that there is a significant decrease in the supply of cattle in the region about to justify the closing of a refrigerator. For Rosse, the factory had been suffering with conditions of the Brazilian cattle that don''t necessarily relate to the raw material.
History. The refrigerator of Alegrete is two years surrounded by uncertainties. The Marfrig revealed the intention of closing it for the first time at the end of 2014. The plant earned survival after long rounds of negotiations with unions and labor courts. A deal in February 2015 made the company to keep the operation for at least a year, but the activities continued normally also along until 2016 to announce in December the Marfrig intended to close the plant permanently.
In conjunction with the State Government, the unions expect another company to take over the operation in Alegrete, since the space of the refrigerator is not owned by Marfrig. With capacity to shoot down 700 head of cattle per day, the plant is one of the main employers in the region and generates 4 million per year in R$ collection of GST.