On July 3, Brazilian banking unions and UNI Americas publicly criticized Santander Bank’s practices during a public hearing at the Labor Committee of the Brazilian Chamber of Deputies. The hearing, promoted by CONTRAF, highlighted issues such as fraudulent outsourcing and job precarization within the bank without union negotiation.
Juvandia Moreira, President of Contraf-CUT, raised concerns about tax privileges benefiting the bank at the cost of employment conditions. She stated, “It makes no sense for a foreign bank to benefit from tax exemptions and labor flexibilization while worsening working conditions. Public funds end up favoring the super-rich, while we continue to fight to expand rights and ensure decent jobs.”
Neiva Ribeiro, General Secretary of Contraf-CUT, urged Congress to address these issues: “Santander claims to value people, but it does not respect its workers or its customers. We need Congress to act and for labor rights to be respected.”
UNI Americas has noted that similar behavior by Santander is observed in other countries in the region. Marcio Monzane, Regional Secretary of UNI Americas, warned that “Santander’s refusal to engage in dialogue with the union movement has deepened labor conflicts in various countries, and its headquarters has expressed no interest in negotiating with unions.” He added that their practices violate international conventions regarding union freedom and collective bargaining.
Unions are maintaining vigilance and planning further actions. In Argentina, La Bancaria is organizing a two-hour national strike next week at Santander Bank followed by another strike with national assemblies. A mobilization is also planned at the Spanish Embassy in Buenos Aires on July 17.
