Contraf-CUT and coordinator of the National Leadership of Brazilian Bank Workers, talked about the importance of the Agreement in the negotiated solutions to confl icts between BB and workers and their union representatives. He also hi-ghlighted in this meeting with the bank representatives in the United States, the main points of the agree-ment, renewed in 2013 :

Respect workers’ freedom of organization and their union organizations.

Guarantee the right to unionize and the union representatives’ access to workplaces.

Special Edition / Edição Especial - January/Janeiro - 2014

UNI Americas and union organizations meet BB in the U.S.

Special Edition / Edição Especial - January/Janeiro - 2014Special Edition / Edição Especial - January/Janeiro - 2014

O EspelhoO EspelhoThe MirrorO EspelhoO Espelho

The fi rst meeting betwe-en Banco do Brasil and the international trade union movement took place on December 5 in

New York. The meeting was reques-ted by UNI Americas, the regional organization of UNI Global Union, and their affi liated unions such as Contraf–CUT, the Brazilian Confe-deration of Financial Sector Workers and the Bank Workers Union of São Paulo. The aim was to strengthen the Global Framework Agreement renewed with BB in 2013. CWA re-presentatives, the union federation of the U.S. communication sector, also took part in the meeting.

At the meeting, the president of UNI Americas Finance, Carlos Cordeiro, who is also president of

Right to collectivebargaining.

Right to con� ictsresolution mechanisms in the employment relationship.

Right to negotiate and consult on matters a� ecting employment and training.

The coordinator of the Natio-nal Committee of BB Workers and Secretary of Union Education of Contraf-CUT, William Mendes, made a presentation for the Americans about the Brazilian experience of collective bargaining in Banco do Brasil. The bank is part of the Natio-nal Collective Bargaining Agreement for the whole banking sector and has an additional agreement that guaran-tees specifi c rights for its employees.

The president of the Bank Workers Union of São Paulo, Juvandia Morei-ra, talked about the process of col-lective bargaining in Brazil with the federation of banks, the employers’ organization, and the gains achieved through struggles and strikes of Brazi-lian bank workers in the last decades.

In the meeting, CWA Repre-sentatives explained how union organization takes place in the US and talked about the difficulties they are facing to have access to BB

workplaces in the country.BB representatives reaffirmed

that the company complies with the Global Framework Agreement and the country laws and that there is no internal guidance against that.

Any problem or diffi culties that might take place in relation to the rights contained in the Agreement will be forwarded by Contraf-CUT to the Executive Board of BB so that

the company can check them out and seek proper solutions.

“Historic Meeting”

“This meeting is a historic miles-tone because it is the fi rst time we meet with the bank’s management in the United States, as a result of the Global Framework Agreement. We are supporting American workers’ union organization so that we they create unions in the US banking sector because this is the best way to improve their collective and social rights, “stated Carlos Cordeiro.

The coordinator of the National Committee of BB Workers added, “The best way to solve conflicts inherent to capital-labor relation is through collective bargaining with labor unions. It is the modern way of defi ning labor and social rights. Companies that claim to have social responsibility must respect both na-tional labor principles and rights and international conventions”.

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Brazilian and American Unionists meet in New York

2 | The Mirror • January - 2014

Strong unions and strikes lead Brazilian workers to new achievements

Thanks to the courage of the bank-ing sector working class, to strong mobilization and national unity, Brazilian bank workers held in 2013 the largest strike in more than 20 years, gaining real wage increase for

the tenth year in a row (salary increase over the annual infl ation rate), higher increase in the sector wage fl oors, improvement in the profi t share (PLR) schemes and important economic and social gains.

The nationwide strike began on September 19 closing 6,145 bank branches and administra-tive centers and grew day by day, until it reached 12,140 branches and offi ces closed in its 22th day.

10 years of real increaseThe National Collective Bargaining Agree-

ment (CCT), that covers all bank workers in Brazil

69,2%INPC IBGE

71,9%ICV Dieese

38,7% de aumento real

AUMENTO REAL ACUMULADO2004-2013 (BASE INPC)

100,1%Reajuste

salarial CCT

134,6%Piso CCT

18,3% de aumento real

Reajuste acumulado * Aumento real

São Paulo

(both from public and private banks) , was signed on October 18 , incorporating 8.0% increase on wages and other benefi ts (real increase of 1.82 %) , 8.5 % increase on the sector wage fl oor (real gain of 2.29 %).

With the strike of the National Collective Bar-gaining Campaign in 2013, bank workers achieved real wage increase for the tenth year in a row, total-ing 18.3% of real gain since 2004 (see “aumento real” on the graph). Even higher was the 8.5% increase on wage fl oors. Over the past decade, the real gain reached 38.7% (see “aumento real” on the graph).

Bank workers’ march in São Paulo during the national strike BB workers in Fortaleza during the 2013 strike

*”Reajuste Acumulado” on the graph stands for in� ation rate plus real increase. ICV Dieese and INPC IBGE are o� cial in� ation rate indexes.

January - 2014 • The Mirror | 3

Besides the National Collective Bargaining Agreement, which covers all Brazilian bank workers, Banco do Brasil em-ployees’ participation in the campaign was a remarkable one. They got extra achievements in their additional agreement on speci� c issues in the bank, mainly in relation to career progress, social rights and protection from bullying.

The achievement related to the point system of bank tellers’ merit career, which started in 2012, got a new step forward and can yield up to two levels of promotion for bank tellers who work since 2006 holding this position. Two levels of merit correspond to almost a US$ 100 over a monthly wage for those earning around US$ 1,300, which stands for 7.5% real increase over the general increase rates, in the last two national collective bargaining campaigns.

The bank will hire over three thousand employees until August 2014. It will promote hundreds as bank tellers (those holding temporarily the position). And after years of demand for improvements, the bank increased in 71% the internship salary, counting from September on (around 10 thousand BB interns were bene� ted).

Besides the ban on texting workers demanding for re-sults/sales targets, the mechanisms to tackle bullying now include the possibility of leaving managers with a “bad note” on their career data in case there is substantial proof in com-plaints against them within 12 months prior to competition for general manager’s position in bank branches.

Same-sex couples and singles who adopt children up to 96 months of age are entitled to get a longer parental leave (from 30 to 180 days) from the date of the legal adoption or temporary guardianship. In the 2013 National Collective Bargaining Campaign, BB bank employees managed to overcome the di� erentiation between men and women in relation to leave rights in cases of adoption.

Another important step forward, which can stand as a reference for other banks employees is concerned to disabled people. In the 2013 speci� c agreement, BB employees with disabilities won the right to � exible working hours when they have to take care of repairs or adjustments in their equipment.

BB employees take steps forward in their speci� c agreement

Bank Workers in Rio march during strike

Bank workers vote to strike in Brasilia in front of BB headquarters

Achievements inpro� t share (PLR) in 2013

The strong mobilization also achieved im-provements in profi t sharing ( PLR) which can now amount to more than two whole monthly wages ( 2.2 ) for each worker.

Gains inject US$ 3.7 billionin the economy

The economic achievements of the 2013 Campaign will have injected more than US$ 3.7 billion in the Brazilian economy until the next collective bargaining period in September 2014. The amount is 14.5 % higher than last year’s.

Four new clausesThe National Collective Bargaining Agree-

ment of Brazilian bank workers also includes four new clauses:

1. Ban on banks messages/texting to workers demanding results/sales targets.

2 . One day per year authorized leave. (right to a day off without any discount in pay) .

3 . Setting of a joint committee between bank and workers, with experts’ consultation, to investigate the causes of working re-lated illnesses.

4. Adherence to the culture stamp gover-nment program of US$ 255 a year for movie/theater tickets for workers who earn up to US$ 950 a month (around 250 thousand bank workers are benefi ted).

No deduction of wages for strikeBank workers also had an important politi-

cal victory. Banks wanted to discount all strike hours within 180 days. Bank workers did not ac-cept that and only signed the agreement under one condition: no deduction in pay and workers would compensate strike hours working for just one extra hour a day (from Monday to Friday) until December 15, 2013. The uncompensated hours after this date would not be demanded.

The Committee for Better Banks released a report in December exposing the low wages and dif-ficult working condi-

tions of front-line bank workers. The report found that 39 percent of bank tellers were paid so little, they had to seek public assistance. The report garnered widespread national press coverage. The com-mittee also shed light on Bank of Americas introduction of video tell-ers in bank branches in the United

States. Video tellers are paid less than in-person tellers in New York City and provide the community with less access and communica-tion. Alex Shalom, a teller at Bank of America and a member of Com-mittee for Better Banks wrote a petition that garnered over 1,000 signatures. CWA, Align NY, New York Communities for Change, and Make the Road by Walking, along with elected offi cials held rallies in front of Bank of America branches and headquarters trying to deliver the

petition and a letter to the CEO. These rallies were part of a larger week of action against Wall St. and the rigged economic system. CWA is also meet-ing with bank workers at call centers and discussing ways they can make change in their workplace.

In New Jersey, Communities United, working in partnership with CWA, has been reaching out to bank workers and organizing homeowners to fi ght back against foreclosures through local politi-cal activism, online petitions, and

direct actions at banks including Bank of America and Wells Fargo.

In Cleveland, Ohio, CWA, along with faith and community organiza-tions held a rally on October 31st in support of more than 1,000 workers being laid off by the Bank of America. The demonstration was lively and garnered local press. Bank workers along with community groups will be meeting with their elected offi cials in January to urge them to support legislation that limits outsourcing of their call center work.

Presidente: Carlos Cordeiro. Secretário de Imprensa: Ademir Wiederkehr. Edição: José Luiz Frare (MTb 11.735). Know us: www.cwa-union.org / Acesse: www.contrafcut.org.br e www.spbancarios.com.br

The Communications Workers of America (CWA) represents over 700,000 workers in the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico. One of its goals now is to organize bank workers in the United States. And it urges Banco do Brasil employees to join us.

Currently, CWA leads the charge for the protection of customer service workers here in America and supports initiatives worldwide through alliances with other unions, including the UNI Global Union, the global union federa-tion which represents more than 20 mil-lion service sector workers worldwide.

CWA also works in partnership with the Bank Workers Union of São

Paulo (Brazil) and with the National Confederation of Financial Sector Work-ers (Contraf-CUT ), which represents 540,000 Brazilian bank workers, includ-ing 120,000 employees of Banco do Brasil in Brazil.

“Through their unions, Brazilian bank workers reached a National Collec-tive Agreement that ensures the same wages and the same rights of all bank employees throughout the country”, states Juvandia Moreira, president of the Bank Workers Union of São Paulo. They also signed a Global Framework Agreement with Banco do Brasil, which ensures the right to freedom of associa-tion and unionization for all employees

of the bank in the Americas.CWA, allied with these international

organizations, is leading a campaign to help workers in the � nancial industry of America to gain voice in the workplace.

This campaign was launched due to two factors: � rst, the � nancial sector is currently the least unionized in the coun-try, despite having the largest footprint on the U.S. economy. Second, except for the U.S., bank workers are heavily unionized everywhere else in the world. In the United States, bank workers have few rights and international banks point to poor conditions in the country. as justi� cation for cutting costs elsewhere.

“Currently, workers in the � nance

industry in Sao Paulo have a better stan-dard of living than those in NYC because they are part of a vibrant and democratic union in Brazil,” states Rita Berlofa, from Bank Workers Union of São Paulo.

CWA will work in alliance with the Brazilian unions to help U.S. based workers build their own organization. It also believes that customer service professionals in the banking industry are there to help customers, and CWA will be there to support them in that important work.

The union is the most important tool that workers have to defend their rights.

Therefore, we want you to join us. Together, we can more.

American bank workers gain momentum

The right to Organize

CWA wants to organize a bank workers’ union in the U.S.

“CWA, Contraf-CUT/Brazil and Bank Workers Union of São Paulo - Special joint publication Publicação especial da CWA, da Contraf-CUT/Brasil e do Sindicato dos Bancários de São Paulo”O Espelho | The Mirror