São Paulo subway workers have announced a strike set to begin this Wednesday (May 13). Their demands concern the lack of civil service exams, excessive workloads, and cuts to health insurance benefits. The exact duration of the strike and confirmation of the work stoppage depend on the outcome of the meeting scheduled for today, May 12, at 6 p.m.
Overall, the union points out that the sector has not held a civil serviceexam in over 10 years. They report that the workforce has been cut in half and that the remaining employeesare overburdened .
Still on the subject of demands, the subway workers claim there is wageinequality for the same job and a 33 million deficit in health insurance plans. They also denounce an attempt to increase deductions and costs, including critical items such as hospitalizations.
In addition, they are calling fornegotiations on profit sharing and improved working conditions and safety, which have deteriorated due to staff cuts.
Negotiations between the union and the State Government
As of the latest updates, there is still no concrete schedule with possible dates and times for new negotiations before Wednesday. This is, in fact, one of the union’s complaints, as it claims there is a lack of dialogue with the São Paulo state government and the Metro Company.
If the parties reach an agreement and the demands are met, the strike will be suspended.
Affected lines and expected impact
- Line 1–Blue.
- Line 2–Green.
- Line 3–Red.
- Line 15–Prata (monorail).
With four lines affected overall, the work stoppage is expected to impact millions of passengers who use the subway daily. Given the risk of a total service interruption or reduced operations, it is recommended to plan ahead before leaving home. This is especially true during morning and afternoon rush hours.
Alternative routes to avoid the subway workers’ strike
- Line 4–Yellow
- Line 5–Lilás
- Line 17–Ouro (monorail, partially operational)
The lines mentioned above are expected to operate normally and will connect to municipal and intercity bus routes. Generally, when subway strikes are announced, city governments increase the bus fleet to provide alternative routes for affected passengers.
In addition, on sections parallel to Lines 3 (Red) and 1 (Blue), the CPTM connects with other stations such as Brás, Luz, and Palmeiras Barra Funda.
On the other hand, there are other alternatives for those who depend on the lines affected by the work stoppage. It’s worth carpooling with colleagues who live nearby or sharing rides through ride-hailing apps and, if possible, working from home until service returns to normal.