Union suspends strike as opening game looms

Leaders of striking subway workers in Brazil announced that the union was suspending for two days a work stoppage that has thrown traffic into chaos in Sao Paulo before the city hosts the World Cup’s opening game this week.

But on the union’s website, leaders said they would hold a vote tomorrow to determine if their strike would resume on Friday — the day the tourna- ment’s first match will be played in Sao Paulo.

The union is seeking a 12 per cent wage hike but the Government says it will not offer anything above 8.7 per cent. Meetings between government officials and union representatives yesterday stalled on that point.

Authorities are deeply worried about the strike because the subway is the main means of transport for fans who will attend the tournament’s initial game between Brazil and Croatia. The stadium is about 20km east of central Sao Paulo, where most tourists stay.

There were hopes the work stoppage might be resolved sooner as union officials met authorities for the first time in days.

Union president Altino Prazeres said almost all of the 8000 subway employees had walked out in the past few days. But he insisted that they were not interested in disrupting the World Cup.

Prazeres said workers were willing to negotiate a lower wage rise if the state-run subway company offered more benefits, but managers have refused to agree.