Maracana workers end strike
Reuters - Monday 22 August 2011, 23:27
RIO DE JANEIRO - Construction workers
refurbishing the Maracana stadium for the 2014 World Cup finals
have ended their strike for better conditions, their union and
the consortium in charge of the site said on Monday.
The workers went on strike last Wednesday after a colleague
was badly burnt and suffered leg injuries when an oil barrel
with chemical residue exploded on site.
Their union said the consortium in charge of the work agreed
to most of the workers' demands including improved security and
pay.
"We're satisfied, that's why we've returned to work today,"
union leader Romildo Vieira told Reuters.
"Negotiations ended like this: the health plan will be only
for the workers [at first] but we're going to look into the
possibility of extending it to their families.
"The deadline to finish the work on the Maracana is December
of next year. The days of stoppage won't delay the work. If
necessary we'll work more hours," Vieira added.
He said there could be up to 3,000 men involved in the work
over that period of time. At present there are 2,000 working in
three shifts.
The work on the stadium, set to hold Confederations Cup
matches in 2013 and expected to stage the World Cup final a year
later, are estimated will cost about one billion reais ($630
million).