Caixa Workers Begin National, Indefinite Strike Over Health-Plan Dispute

Overview

• The strike at Caixa started on Thursday, September 10, after more than 90% of participating union bases rejected the bank’s proposed renewal of its institution-specific collective agreement.
• Partial stoppages at Banco do Brasil began the same day but were mostly ended on September 11 after new negotiations and approvals in the majority of local assemblies, with some bases keeping the mobilization.
• Unions say the central impasse is changes to Saúde Caixa funding and copay rules that would raise costs for active workers and retirees while the category also demands inflation adjustment plus real wage gains.
• The walkouts have closed dozens of agencies in states from Tocantins to São Paulo and Amazonas, forcing customers to rely on apps, internet banking, ATMs, lotéricas and banking correspondents for most services.
• Negotiations are ongoing: Caixa has returned to the table and scheduled new rounds while unions instruct members to keep the strike until any new offer is submitted to local votes and legal action remains a possible fallback.