Brazil | UNIONS | MEATPACKERS

Manifest against the NR 36 review

Over 80 technicians, researchers, professors and doctorates in the worker’s health area sign a manifest in favor of NR 36.

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Foto: Gerardo Iglesias

MANIFEST:
WE ARE AGAINST THE REVIEW OF THE REGULATORY NORM – NR 36 AT THE PRESENT TIME

Since 1997, Brazilian food sector Union movement, researchers working in the field of occupational health at several Universities and several Universities and members of the Public Ministry of Labor (MPT), have sought general improvement of working conditions in meatpacking plants. After 10 years of study, negotiations, scientific advances and political pressure, with broad government involvement, organized workers and employers, this effort was topped with the publication of the Regulatory Norm 36 (NR 36) in 2013, which established a series of obligations and monitoring parameters of working conditions in the meat slaughtering and meat and by-products processing sector, resulting in a great reduction in occupational accidents and illnesses. Several illnesses, work disabilities and deaths have been demonstrably prevented in these environments.

Since then, the NR 36 has been improved, with the publication of small adjustments and attachments that have further improved its power of control and protection against occupational risks in the meat packing plants. However, following the recurring initiative of the current government, with the misleading and pompous name of “harmonization and modernization”, several changes are being implemented in the legislation, especially in the Regulatory Norms that regulate health and safety conditions at work, elaborated in offices, with restriction of the broad and democratic participation of workers and/or their representatives, strongly aligned to the employers’ demands in general.

In several of the amendments in the Regulatory Norms (NR) already republished, it’s noticeable the lowering of the standards provided for in the basic legislation of these norms, which dates back to 1978. For the most part, such changes occur in line with the dismantling of Labor Rights, since the so-called Labor Reform of 2017.

It is precisely on the issues that this manifest warns: the lowering of health and safety standards at work in general and specifically at meatpacking plants, represents a major social setback, since the normative reference in force is the result of decades of advances and improvements in these environments, and its hasty amendment will worsen working conditions, with the return to alarming rates of sick leave caused by incapacity, due to occupational reasons that were not recognized by the organizations or by the Brazilian National Institute of Social Security (INSS), very frequent before the Norm was published. It should be noted that such sick leaves had perverse repercussions by their association with the suffering, impoverishment and loss of social rights of workers and their families, associated with the financial impact transferred to society, directly burdened by the increased social security benefits such as disability benefits, worker’s compensation, disability pensions and death pensions, as well as medical expenses in treatment and rehabilitation, mostly assumed by SUS (Brazil’s Public Single Health System). Intangible social costs represented by pain, chronic disabilities, limitations to return to work under appropriate conditions, and the condemnation to social security dependency, far more serious, cannot be measured in currency!

Overall, it’s an outrageous injustice to naturalize the disposal of young people, in the fullness of their productive phase, who are referred to the INSS end up being chronically away from work, with costs paid for by society and not by those who have harmed them.

Therefore, we defend that at this time, no hasty changes in health and safety legislation should be made, without appropriate technical support on each topic addressed by the different NRs.

Changes in legislation require that, before any amendments are made, the contradictions that the dynamism and complexity of the world of work place on a daily basis for workers are overcome, such as ensuring a better balance between production requirements and workforce. Other possibilities for virtuous, even if temporary, changes include reducing working hours in unhealthy places and increasing work breaks as a compensatory measure for intensifying work.

The evolution of labor relations to more balanced and sustainable models, goals already achieved in other countries, indicates that the increased participation of workers and their entities in the management of prevention programs developed by companies, as well as initiatives of humanization and enhancement of labor relations, which include increasing the autonomy of workers, are civilizational advances that benefit all stakeholders, and move away from the shadow of barbarism, logic that seems to guide some of the current proposals for regulatory revisions.

We call on all those who share this same understanding and indignation to support and participate in this protest!

This is our manifest.

SIGNED BY:

  1.  Roberto Carlos Ruiz – Occupational Physician. Member of the NR 36 Founding Commission. Associate researcher of Workers Network (Rede Trabalhadores) & COVID-19 (ENSP/FIOCRUZ). Master in Collective Health (UNICAMP). Fellow PhD degree in Collective Health (UFSC).
  2. Dr. Maria Maeno – Doctor and researcher at Fundacentro and volunteer at the Walter Leser Institute of the São Paulo School of Sociology and Politics.
  3. Prof. Dr. Ricardo Antunes – Head professor of Sociology (IFCH/UNICAMP).
  4. Prof. Dr. Fabrício Augusto Menegon – epidemiologist, PhD in Public Health. Professor at the department of Public Health (UFSC).
  5. Prof. Dr. Paulo Antônio Barros Oliveira – Head professor of Social Medicine (UFRGS). Retired Labour Auditor (AFT MTb).
  6. Dr. Mara A. B. Conti Takahashi – Retired sociologist, CEREST – Piracicaba and researcher of the PesquisAT Group and Public Health College (USP). Researcher at the Walter Leser Institute of the São Paulo school of Sociology and Politics.
  7. Dr. Paulo Rogério Albuquerque de Oliveira – PhD in Health Science. IRS tax auditor. Occupational Safety Engineer.
  8. Marcos Paiva Matos – Occupational Safety engineer. Retired by Fundacentro.
  9. Prof. Dr. Fernando Mendonça Heck – Geographer. Professor at the Federal Institute of São Paulo (IFSP), Campus Tupã.
  10. Prof. Dr. Willians Longen – Physiotherapist. Ergonomist certified by ABERGO (n. 248). Master in Ergonomics (UFSC). PhD in Health Science (UNESC). Researcher in Occupational Health.
  11. Prof. Dr. Flávio Ricardo Liberali Magajewski – Doctor, PhD in Production Engineering (UFSC), Professor of the Medicine Course of the University of Southern Santa Catarina.
  12. Dr. Diogo Cunha dos Reis – Researcher at the Center for Applied Ergonomic Studies (UFSC).
  13. Prof. Sandroval Francisco Torres – Professor of Physiotherapy Course at UDESC. Master in Production Engineering / Ergonomics (UFSC). Coordinator of the Occupational Health Extension Program CEFID – UDESC.
  14. Antônio Jane Cardoso – Psychologist. Occupational Health Specialist at PUC RS.
  15. Dr. Arline Sydneia Abel Arcuri – PhD in Chemistry, with recognized work in benzene and nanotechnology. Researcher at Fundacentro.
  16. Arthur Lobato – Psychologist. Occupational Health researcher at Prunart (UFMG).
  17. Beatriz Silva Rocha – Physical Education professional with Ergonomics performance and consulting.
  18. Prof. Dr. Charles Dalcanale Tesser – Department of Public Health and Postgraduate Program in Collective Health (UFSC).
  19. Prof. Dr. Claudia Flemming Colussi – Department of Public Health and Postgraduate Program in Collective Health (UFSC).
  20. Dr. Cristiane Maria Galvão Barbosa – Occupational physician. Technologist at Fundacentro. PhD in Science by the Department of Pulmonology (FAMED-INCOR-USP).
  21. Dr. Cristiane Oliveira Reimberg – Journalist. PhD in Communication Sciences (USP).
  22. Cristiane Queiroz Barbeiro Lima – Ergonomist researcher in Occupational Health retired by Fundacentro.
  23. Daniela Sanches Tavares – Technologist at Fundacentro. Researcher in Occupational Health.
  24. Prof. Dr. Douglas F. Kovaleski – Department of Public Health and Postgraduate Program in Collective Health (UFSC).
  25. Dr. Eclea Spiridiao Bravo – Retired doctor of CEREST – Piracicaba. Researcher at the School of Public Health of USP and at the Walter Leser Institute of the São Paulo school of Sociology and Politics.
  26. Prof. Dr. Elcio Gustavo Benini – Professor of Business Administration (UFMS).
  27. Gil Vicente Fonseca Ricardi – Occupational Physician. Technical Assistant of the National labor Environment Defense Coordination of the Public Ministry of Labour (MPT).
  28. Prof. Dr. Eleonora d’Orsi – Department of Public Health and Postgraduate Program in Collective Health (UFSC).
  29. Prof. Dr. Elizabeth Dias – Doctor. Professor at UFMG in the SST area.
  30. Prof. Dr. Fatima Sueli Neto Ribeiro – Associate Professor at UERJ. ABRASCO and ALAMES Workers Health Commission. PhD in Epidemiology and coordinator of the National Cancer Epidemiology Group.
  31. Fátima Viegas – Occupational physician and Pediatric and Neonatal Intensivist.
  32. Fernanda Giannasi – Civil Engineer. Retired Labor Tax Auditor.
  33. Prof. Dr. Fernando Hellmann – Department of Public Health and Postgraduate Program in Collective Health (UFSC).
  34. Prof. Dr. Fúlvio Borges Nedel – Department of Public Health and Postgraduate Program in Collective Health (UFSC).
  35. Prof. Dr. Gustavo Henrique Petean – Professor of Business Administration (UFG).
  36. Hugo Pinto de Almeida – Nurse and PhD student in Public Health (ENSP/FIOCRUZ).
  37. Prof. Dr. Ildeberto Muniz de Almeida – Doctor. Professor of the Public Health Department of Botucatu Medical School (UNESP).
  38. Prof. Dr. Ione Schneider – Department of Public Health and Postgraduate Program in Collective Health (UFSC).
  39. Prof. Dr. Iracimara de Anchieta Messias – Professor in the field of Collective Health, occupational safety and health and ergonomics – campus of Presidente Prudente. Coordinator of Neperg – Center for Studies and Research in Ergonomics (FCT-UNESP).
  40. Ismael Gianeri – Occupational safety technician.
  41. José Carlos do Carmo, Doctor at the Walter Leser Institute of the São Paulo school of Sociology and Politics.
  42. José Erivalder Guimarães de Oliveira – Doctor. Specialist in Occupational Medicine. Director of the São Paulo Medical Union.
  43. José Hélio Lopes Batista – Organizational Psychologist. Occupational Safety Technician. Retired educator of Fundacentro – PE.
  44. Prof. Dr. José Luiz Fonseca Filho. Industrial Engineer. Professor at UDESC. PhD in Ergonomy.
  45. Prof. Dr. Josimari Telino de Lacerda – Professor of the Department of Public Health and the Graduate Program of UFSC.
  46. Dr. Juliana Andrade Oliveira – Sociologist, researcher in Occupational Health.
  47. Prof. dr. Leny Sato – Senior Professor of the Institute of Psychology at the University of São Paulo (USP).
  48. Dr. Leo Vinicius Maia Liberato – Technologist at Fundacentro.
  49. Leonidas Ramos Pandaggis – Work Safety Engineer. Senior Technologist at Fundacentro.
  50. Prof. Dr. Liliane Teixeira – Researcher at the Center for the Study of Occupational Health and Human Ecology (ENSP/FIOCRUZ).
  51. Prof. Dr. Lindberg Nascimento Junior – Geographer and PhD in Geography (UFSC).
  52. Prof. Dr. Lizandra da Silva Menegon – Epidemiologist. PhD in Collective Health. Professor of the Department of Public Health at UFSC.
  53. Luiz Antônio de Melo – Civil Engineer. Work Safety Engineer. Ergonomist. Specialist in Environmental Management. Master in Environmental Technology. Technologist at Fundacentro.
  54. Luiz Scienza – Labor Inspector. Professor (UFRGS). President of the Decent Job Institute (ITD).
  55. Prof. Dr. Marcelo Gonçalves Figueiredo – Professor of Production engineering at UFF/Campus Niterói.
  56. Marco Pérez – Sanitarian and Occupational Doctor.
  57. Dr. Marcia Tiveron – Occupational Health Audiologist.
  58. Dr. Margarida Maria Silveira Barreto – Doctor and PhD in Social Psychology (PUC/SP).
  59. Maria Cristina Felix – Engineer. Technologist at Fundacentro.
  60. Prof. Dr. Maria Cristina Marino Calvo – professor at the Department of Public Health and Postgraduate Program in Collective Health (UFSC).
  61. Dr. Maria Engrácia de Carvalho Chaves – Occupational physician and technician at Fundacentro.
  62. Dr. Maria Juliana Moura Corrêa – PhD in Epidemiology. Associate researcher (ENSP/FIOCRUZ).
  63. Maria Lusia Rodrigues Pereira – Lawyer. Retired from Fundacentro.
  64. Prof. Dr. Maria Regina Alves Cardoso – Epidemiologist. Senior Professor at the School of Public Health (USP).
  65. Maria do Socorro Carvalho – Sanitarian.
  66. Prof. Dr. Marta Inez Machado Verdi – Nurse. PhD in Nursing. Professor at the Department of Public Health and Postgraduate Program in Collective Health (UFSC).
  67. Mauro Menezes – Lawyer. Master in Public Law and former President of the Commission on Public Ethics of the Presidency of the Republic.
  68. Prof. Dr. Mirelle Finkler – Dentist Surgeon. PhD in Collective Health. Professor of the Department of Dentistry and the Postgraduate Program in Public Health (UFSC).
  69. Prof. Dr. Raoni Rocha Simões – Associate Professor UFOP/Ouro Preto.
  70. Prof. Dr. Roberto Heloani – professor (UNICAMP).
  71. Dr. Paulo Roberto Lemgruber Ebert – Lawyer. PhD in Law (FD/USP).
  72. Prof. Dr. Rodolfo Andrade de Gouveia Vilela – Senior Professor (FSP-USP).
  73. Prof. Dr. Rodrigo Otavio Moretti Pires – Department of Public Health and Postgraduate Program in Collective Health (UFSC).
  74. Prof. Sabino Bussanello – Master in Education and Labor. Advisor at the Trade Union School of FETIESC / Itapema.
  75. Sandra Donatelli – Retired Ergonomist at Fundacentro.
  76. Prof. Dr. Sheila Rubia Lindner – Nurse. Department of Public Health and Postgraduate Program in Collective Health (UFSC).
  77. Prof. Dr. Sérgio Fernando Torres de Freitas – Dentist Surgeon. PhD in Social Dentistry. Professor of the Department of Public Health. Coordinator of the Graduate Program in Mental Health and Psychosocial Care (UFSC).
  78. Dr. Thaís Helena de Carvalho Barreira – Ergonomist researcher in Occupational Health. Technologist at Fudacentro.
  79. Dr. Ubiratan de Paula Santos – Assistant physician in the Division of Pulmonology of the Heart Institute – InCor-HCFMUSP. PhD in Pulmonology (FMUSP).
  80. Prof. Dr. Walter Ferreira de Oliveira – Department of Public Health and Postgraduate Program in Collective Health (UFSC).
  81. Prof. Dr. Vivian Aline Mininel – Nurse. Professor at the Department of Nursing Of the São Carlos Federal University (UFSCar).