A group of construction workers, members of a category that makes Piracicaba a reference in the country, was honored by the Piracicaba City Council, on the night of last Friday, October 27th. The tribute, an initiative by councilor Gilmar Rotta (MDB), was part of the Civil Construction Workers’ Day celebrations.
The merit recognition diplomas were awarded to Zeiliano Dias do Carmo (Metta Construções); Emílio Silva Carvalho (ACM); Florisvaldo Gerônimo Pinto (Construcione); Mário Rodrigues dos Santos (Energel); José Adilson dos Santos da Silva (Pollo Engenharia); Daniel dos Santos Reis (Vitta Residencial); Carlos César Padoveze (Embraplan) and Rafaela Faganello Defavari (MRV), chosen for their leadership and excellent performance in the sector. “They are workers who make the country grow, who stand under the sun and rain building our homes, building the dreams of all of us. You represent an entire category, which wakes up at 5am and goes to work willing and happy. Nothing more fair than for the Chamber to value them”, said Gilmar Rotta to those honored.
At the ceremony, Gilmar Rotta also mentioned Milton Costa’s achievements as president of the Union of Workers in the Construction and Furniture Industries of Piracicaba. “When Milton took over, I know how much he worked to defend the workers, the fights he had with the builders. And it was the workers who won, with actions that also benefited the companies, such as the reduction in accidents”, recalled the councilor.
Milton Costa, along with Edson Batista dos Santos, was also honored by Gilmar Rotta during the ceremony. The two received a vote of congratulations due to their inauguration, respectively, as a member of the board of directors and as vice-president of the Federation of Workers in the Construction and Furniture Industries in the State of São Paulo (Feticom-SP). “This is a source of great pride for us, as there are few unions with representatives in the federation; There are very few people coming from inland cities. And Piracicaba deservedly has two people representing the category”, highlighted Gilmar Rotta.
Milton Costa, who spoke on behalf of the honorees, mentioned that, in 20 years at the Piracicaba union, he saw the number of members jump from 300 to 8 thousand. “I am committed to my category; Today, the highest salary in Brazil in the sector is in Piracicaba, because the worker understood what we wanted and recognized our work.”
The union president highlighted the entity’s achievements for members, such as the literacy school, since 2012, aimed at workers who are released by their employers one hour before the end of the work day. Once the course is completed, they then move on to professional qualifications. “We were creating paths and opportunities. We can choose what kind of people we want to be”, emphasized Milton Costa, considering that it is also up to the Public Power to offer qualifications. “Where are the free courses, the possibilities? Today, the union is responsible for funding the courses,” he noted.
Milton Costa emphasized the importance of the honor granted by the Chamber (“Nothing fairer than recognition in life”) and praised Gilmar Rotta’s management at the helm of the House. “A unique person, without any rancor, who has made the Chamber set an example in transparency”, said the leader, encouraging popular participation in “the city’s political issues”.
The union president also drew attention to the category’s lowest level in Piracicaba, above others in the city and the highest in civil construction in Brazil, and to the set of rights achieved, such as participation in the companies’ results. “Today we are not ashamed: we have dirty clothes but clean hands. Expect hard and transparent work from us, as we managed to get where we deserve to be.”
Edson Batista dos Santos thanked the Chamber for the tribute paid to “often forgotten” workers and noted that professionals in the category will be harmed by possible changes to Social Security. “Often our commanders think that you can retire at 80, that you can work at that age, but we know how difficult our daily lives are.” “In recent years, we have had great synergy with the union and Cerest. Piracicaba is a reference in safety in civil construction, both in terms of procedures and safety and in the seriousness of hiring workers”, commented Marcelo Marques, who represented the Association of Construction Companies of Piracicaba at the ceremony.
José Cione Filho, from the construction company Construcione, declared that the tribute proposed by Gilmar Rotta, held for the second year in a row at the Chamber, “is very important for the development of civil construction. “What I’m most proud of is that, in the company’s 30 years, we have never had a serious accident involving employees, of whom today there are almost 1,000,” he said.
Member of the Municipal Health Council, Anísio Silva also attended the ceremony.