Yesterday, the firemen of Rio de Janeiro took over the Quartel Central do Corpo de Bombeiros (Basically the home base for all Rio Firemen) in an attempt to get the government to pay attention to their demands for a better salary.
Rio de Janeiro firemen are paid horribly for their services, a mere R$950 monthly. And people wonder why there is a lack of motivation and a delayed response time.
They have been protesting for 2 months now and it has been falling onto deaf ears. They decided to take over the central station, in an attempt to be heard, and brought along women and children as a guarantee that everything would stay peaceful. Sadly, that isn't how it worked out.
The Bope and Military Police entered the compound at 6am, clearing their way with tear gas and bombs. Total madness ensued. At least 5 children suffered intoxication from the gas and 2 adults suffered head injuries. While not mentioned in the news article, the tv news reported that a pregnant woman miscarried in the middle of all the chaos.
Heaven forbid the city firefighters ask for a bit more money! They aren't going insane with their demands or anything. They want to be paid R$2,000 liquid a month and have paid transportation (it's quite common for jobs in Brazil to pay for transportation and lunch).
I really don't get it. You don't underpay your firemen and emergency crews! Did they miss 9/11? These are your go-to guys! They are the people who are supposed to be taking a BIG one for the team and working for our safety! But hell, drivers here don't even respect an ambulance trying to get to a hospital, why in the hell are they going to care about these people's salary.
The thing is, one day you will need them. At least one time. And at that moment you're going to have wished that they were well treated and thus motivated professionals. You'll have your 10 to 30 minutes of waiting for the ambulance to think that one over.
Here's a video of the firefighters mid-protest
and of course there is the other side of the story. The firemen are being called vandals with how they treated the QG. SO many angles...
ReplyDeleteI couldn't agree more, Rachel. Wish someone up there in the Brazilian government could read your post. It's absurd that the people who are there to protect us are underpaid. And then we complain about police corruption, delays, slacking and all that. The solution is here for anyone to see. :) Great post!!!
ReplyDeleteThanks Samia!
ReplyDeleteRachel,
ReplyDeleteThis salary is an absurd, I know baby sitters that make twice that salary, plus they have room and board, it's a shame to pay firemen so little. They absolutely deserve a huge raise and all other benefits they are asking for and they would still not be making much.
Ray
Gostei de texto, raquel, por incrivel que pareca, é a melhor leitura do caso que li ate agora. A imprensa brasileira é muito fraca, alem de morrer de medo de questionar as autoridades... Bom, publique em portugues tambem, parabens.
ReplyDeleteI like the text, and amezingly it´s the best understanding about the case. Generally, the Brazilians journalists don´t known the issues they write, excluding football (or they are afraid the powerfull people). Don´t stop, congratulations
It's a disgrace! Men who risk their lives on daily basis for unknown people with more than reasonable and fair demands - and the response is a scene looking a warzone!
ReplyDeletehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ieom32DDws
I'm a fireman in rio, and I was there yesterday! Thanks for publishing! Spread this new everywhere!
ReplyDeleteI'm so proud that you all read this! I am trying my best to spread the word! You all deserve better!
ReplyDeleteYou have no idea how much you have contributed to the moviment. We need people to spread the word, give visibility to the cause. Everything counts!
ReplyDeletehttp://noticias.r7.com/rio-de-janeiro/noticias/videos-veja-a-cobertura-completa-sobre-o-protesto-dos-bombeiros-no-rio-20110604.html
ReplyDeleteAdorei teu post! Você deveria ser uma jornalista, porque é de pessoas como você que a imprensa brasileira necessita, com um olhar bastante ''humano'' dos fatos
ReplyDeleteWorse yet, the R$950 you mention is their gross pay. They take home much less. It is a scandal.
ReplyDelete@Jim: no as you don't pay taxes under 1200+ something.
ReplyDeleteI think that the actions of BOPE & PM are right. Everyone should have the right to protest, but in a calm matter. Violence, braking & entry are NOT protest but crime.
That being said, there's a huge problem with income levels in Brazil. So I do agree that 950R$ to risk your live is a joke. In the other hand, 3000+R$ for a police officer in Brasilia is wrong also...
I will disagree with you Giovanni. I don't think it was as much of a crime but more of a BIG statement. Yes, they took over and technically broke in, but they did not loot the place or anything. It was a sit-in.
ReplyDeleteBut I do agree with you on the salary thing
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDelete