Judge Mauro Iuji Fukumoto, from the 1st Public Finance Court of Campinas, rejected this Wednesday (4) the request for urgent provisional protection presented by the Unicamp Workers Union (STU) which requested payment for days off for technical employees -administrative staff who joined the strike triggered by the category. In his decision, Fukumoto considered that “The most reasonable interpretation of the thesis, in accordance with the ministerial opinion, is that discounts can be made immediately, without prejudice to subsequent refunds if the illegality of the public authorities' conduct is proven”.
The court decision supports the position of the University's Central Administration, which has been guided by dialogue, transparency and the search for a negotiated solution that puts an end to the employee strike. Over the course of at least eight meetings in the last 40 days, both Rector Marcelo Knobel and other representatives of the Rectory told STU directors that the replacement of stopped days or accumulated work will be subject to negotiation after the return of normal activities.
According to the Central Administration, the replacement system will be adopted in areas where the measure is possible. In this case, Unicamp undertakes to issue a supplementary payroll to make adjustments for any days deducted. This position, according to Judge Fukumoto's decision, is in line with what the legislation determines, which is why the judge rejected the request for urgent provisional protection presented by the STU.
Another argument from the Union that did not find support in the Court's decision was that the University is “guilty” for the outbreak of the strike, for not having paid a salary adjustment that would keep pace with the annual inflation rate. Also according to the STU, discounts for closed days will affect Unicamp employees, “since the funds that will be revoked are food in nature”.
During negotiations between the Council of Rectors of the State Universities of São Paulo (Cruesp) and the Forum of the Six, Cruesp proposed a salary adjustment of 1,5%, making it clear that it could not offer a higher rate at the moment due to the serious budget crisis faced by institutions. The Council, however, was willing to hold talks with the Forum of Six and jointly monitor the behavior of ICMS collection.
At the same time, universities began negotiating specific agendas with their respective workers' unions. In the case of Unicamp, there were eight meetings. The University proposed an adjustment of R$100 in food assistance, which would go from R$850 to R$950, and the allocation of 10% of the excess ICMS collection in 2018 for application in the career plans of civil servants, teachers and researchers.
The Central Administration also committed to carrying out, together with the STU and the Unicamp Teachers' Association (Adunicamp), monitoring ICMS collection and analyzing other demands from employees and teachers, such as reducing the cost of chartered transport, improvement of working conditions, mainly in the health area, and the replacement of human resources.
Read also
Occupation of the Rectory prevents continuity of dialogue with STU
STU omits information about server transfer
Unicamp's rectory regrets the blockade promoted by the union
Rectory responds to counterproposals from STU and Adunicamp
At the request of the STU, Unicamp provides clarifications on proposals
Central Administration expands proposal to employees and teachers
