Brasília, March 24, 2004 (Agência Brasil) - The Federal Police strike leadership in Brasília received with surprise the order signed yesterday (23) by the Ministers of Justice and Defense, authorizing personnel from the Brazilian Airport Infrastructure Company (Infraero) to substitute Federal Police agents at the airports. According to the Minister of Justice, Márcio Thomaz Bastos, this order, together with the judicial request prohibiting agents from delaying services (in a slow-down operation), will help reduce the inconveniences caused by long lines.

The national strike leadership responded rapidly to this measure. A meeting was held this morning, and it was decided to maintain the model operation (rigorous inspection) in airports for international and domestic flights. The president of the National Federal Police Federation (Fenapef), Francisco Garisto, declared that the Federation is already filing a suit in the Supreme Court to condemn the act of the two Ministers as irresponsible. According to Garisto, "it is not permissible to replace a special category of State employees with ordinary civil servants. This is set out in article 144 of the Federal Constitution."

For the president of the Fenapef, the Minister, instead of complying with Law 9,266/96 and paying what the Federal Courts have already determined, is violating the Constitution. "He just tossed gasoline on the fire, since the vacant counters in the airports cannot be staffed by civil servants who are not members of the Federal Police Department."

The strike leadership warned that the law is on the side of the police agents, who will not carry out a dubious decision. "We are Federal Police agents, and we should not obey this Inter-Ministerial order, which is completely outside the law," Garisto argued. "If an Infraero employee handles instruments that are for the exclusive use of the Federal Police, he is liable to be arrested for usurpation of office."

Garisto was on his way to São Paulo, where he will meet with public attorneys, whom he plans to tell that all government officials who allow Infraero employees to enter areas reserved for the Federal Police will be charged with the crime of misrepresentation (job deviation). Civil servants who assume the place of Federal Police agents will be accused of usurpation of office.

The Federal Police agents, who have been on strike for over two weeks, are demanding compliance with the law that determines that the salaries of Federal Police agents be equal to those of university graduates. In some cases this would mean a readjustment of up to 85%. According to calculations made by the Ministry of Planning, this proposal would require a payroll increase of R$ 600 million.

At a meeting yesterday with the leaders of the strike, the government proposed a 10% readjustment for all Federal Police agents. The proposal was rejected.

Translator: David Silberstein