O discurso foi traduzido simultaneamente para 3 idiomas
Rio de Janeiro,
May 24th, 2015
Greetings
to all,
I
would like to congratulate all local workers of diplomatic missions with
representation in Belgium for taking the initiative and opportunity to start
negotiations to redefine the employment rights and relationship between foreign
diplomatic missions in this country and their respective local workers. AFLEX
is represented here today by Luiz Carlos Chagas, who is the Vice-President,
currently working for the Embassy of Brazil in London and Marcia Ramos, AFLEX
Executive Director, who currently works for the Brazilian Consulate in Paris.
Both would be glad to share experiences and information regarding developments,
which took place following AFLEX creation in 2011.
The
AFLEX is the result of the clamor from about 4.000 local workers working abroad
for the Brazilian Foreign Affairs Government Department. Previously, we were
without any form of representation and as a result, voiceless. In May 2011,
three local workers were discussing through a phone conversation their legal
limbo, and the idea to create an Association came up, and I am very proud for
being one of them. Soon after, we contacted our counterparts working in Europe
and they immediately joined the initial movement, although we had heard that it
would be impossible and that we were crazy.
The idea began to take shape. And
to paraphrase one of Nelson Mandela’s saying “ It always seems impossible until
it is done” and in our case it really happened.
During the initial contacts we found out that it was not a problem only
in the United States but in all countries hosting foreign diplomatic missions.
We
faced several challenges after the creation of AFLEX, the biggest one was to
come out of the shadow of fear, and have the courage to show our faces and
claim basic employment rights. It is true to say that locally hired employees
are in limbo without precedent and in some countries more than in others. We
presented our situation to several Senators who were ready to create two drafts
of law (House Bill) for consideration, but, the Brazilian government since then
has always positioned itself against to these projects and treat us as if we
were invisible.
Without much options of persuasion, on the 13th
and 14th of May 2014, we went on a strike, and at that time the INTERSINDICAL
gave us its valuable support for which we are extremely grateful. As a result,
we managed to secure visibility in the government, national and international
media coverage showing to Brazil and the world that we exist as a class of
workers. But, we have suffered consequences such as persecution, different
types of harassment and a some were sacked as a result. The Board of AFLEX
suffered an enormous pressure but managed to remain standing with the support
of Senators.
We have a common struggle and we believe that
united and through class representation we can achieve our common goal. The
fight is hard and it is not only a fight for the definition a specific labor
law (creating, improving and enforcing), it is also for dignity and justice. This
fight is not only limited to those working for the Brazilian government, it is
the same for workers based in Belgium as well as in other countries around the
world.
We congratulate the INTERSINDICAL for promoting
this important meeting in Brussels and the exposure of injustice, arbitrariness
and poor working conditions in which the Local Workers of diplomatic
representations are being subjected to for decades. Belgium is known for being the host country
of several international institutions like (European Union Headquarters,
Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe-SHAPE, the headquarters of the North
Atlantic Treaty Organization-NATO etc.) and also for being a hub for
international contacts.
We
do hope that Belgium will be at the forefront of historical decisions on this
regard, as well as, in relation to the protection of fundamental human rights,
and consequently be the country to kick-off the implementation of these
necessary changes and be a diplomatic example for all other nations.
Thank
You !
Claudia Siano Rajecki
Presidente
Brussels, 30th May 2015