Dozens of members of various unions affiliated with the CGTP and former Ecc workers demonstrated this Friday afternoon in front of the company, in Santa Maria da Feira, to show solidarity with the union delegate Susana Bastos, recently fired by this multinational.
Last March, Ecco dismissed 42 workers, justifying it with the need to “redefine its organization and decentralize Research and Development activities to the group’s production units”.
Of these workers, only the union delegate Susana Bastos did not reach an agreement with the company, claiming the continuity of her job at the company.
“This dismissal was solely to affect me, despite the company saying that it wasn’t. The restructuring that was necessary could have been done in another way, as were others”, he said, explaining that the former restructurings “were done by mutual agreement, but this dismissal was imposed on us”.
Susana clarifies that her dismissal will now be “challenged in court”. “The fight is starting and I feel very supported. This fight is not just for me. It is a fight for all the workers and for all my unionist colleagues that the companies intend to eliminate from within the companies, because we are uncomfortable”, stated.
Fernanda Moreira, coordinator of the National Union of Professionals in the Footwear, Luggage and Related Industry (SNPIC), explained that Susana “has been the workers’ representative in defense of their problems and denounced practices” considered incorrect. “The company wants to silence Susana and weaken the union and frighten workers who want to express themselves”, she noted.
Present at the demonstration, the general secretary of the CGTP, Isabel Camarinha, said that she did not “accept attacks on freedom of association and the rights of freedom of association”, assuring that she was following the case and giving “all the strength possible so that this situation has a solution quick”.
Contacted by JN, the company reiterated that it was a collective dismissal, justified by the need for restructuring.
