São Paulo, August 7 (Agência Brasil - ABr) - Metalworkers at the Volkswagen plant in São Bernardo do Campo (SP) returned to work after a stoppage that lasted all morning. According to the ABC Metalworkers Union, five thousand employees in the maintenance, mechanical, tooling, and logistical sectors crossed their arms beginning at 8 A.M. 80% of the total number of plant employees adhered to the strike. They are protesting against the company's decision to transfer 3,933 employees to an occupational recycling firm called Autovision.

According to the president of the Union, José Lopes Feijóo, protests will be held every day until September 1, the data set for the transfer of the metalworkers. In Feijóo's view, this attitude on the part of the company represents a violation of the agreement that in effect, guaranteeing job stability to workers at the São Bernardo do Campo plant until 2006 and to workers at the Volks plant in Taubaté (SP) until 2004. According to Feijóo, the workers will show up at work as usual on September 1.

Data from Volkswagen show that, in Germany, the Autovision firm, founded in 1997, contributed to reducing the number of firings in the company from 17% to 8%. Feijóo contends that, in Germany, the creation of Autovision was the result of a lengthy process that involved negotiations with labor unions, municipal governments, and the German government. In Feijóo's evaluation, the creation of this recycling firm in Brazil stemmed from a unilateral decision made by the company. (DAS)