The office of Brazil’s Solicitor General filed a legal action in the Superior Court of Justice (Brazil’s second-highest judicial body) on Tuesday calling for the immediate return to work of public servants from environmental protection agency Ibama and the Chico Mendes Institute for Biodiversity Conservation (ICMBio), currently on strike.
The strike, coordinated by labor unions representing environmental workers, comes as the Pantanal wetlands and the Amazon rainforest face a surge in fires. The workers demand a 10.34% annual wage increase in three installments, citing the need to combat deforestation effectively.
The Brazilian government’s counterproposal included a 9% wage hike over two years, leading to a deadlock in negotiations. Despite initial reluctance, the Management Minister has now expressed willingness to resume talks with the striking employees.