Olympic Venue Construction Workers on Strike in Rio

(ATR) Work on some Rio 2016 venues is interrupted due to a general construction worker strike in the city.

Close to 70 percent of heavy construction workers in Rio de Janeiro in the SITRAICP union are on strike in a salary dispute, according to reports Brazilian newspaper Globo.

Thirty percent of the 12,000 active construction workers will remain active during the strike, which began on May 18, based on a court order ruled on May 15. JudgeAngelo Galvão Zamorano ruled that 30 percent of workers must continue on projects to protect the "services essential to the safety of the population and business assets."

The workers are demanding an 8.5 percent increase in pay, and the strike is expected to last at least five days, according to reports.

"If a resolution is not agreed before then, the strike will continue indefinitely," a statement from SITRAICP read.

The Deodoro cluster and the Olympic Stadium have seen stoppages due to the strike.

Other Olympic projects such as the subway line connecting Copacabana and Barra de Tijuca, the location of the Olympic Park, the port, and the TransBrazil bus rapid transit have been slowed.

Olympic Server Program

Rio 2016 is recruiting retired civil servants to work during the Olympics.

Ranging in positions from volunteer group leadership, transportation, and managing the athletes' village, the former civil servants can apply for 2,945 jobs for the Games.

Those holding the positions will earn $497 a month and report to Rio de Janeiro City Hall as part of the "Servidor Olímpico" program.

Those interested in applying can get more information here.

Written by Aaron Bauer

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