After strike and tumults, São Paulo returns to something close to normal

The subway and commuter trains strike yesterday that caused a record traffic jam of 249 kilometers and a series of confrontations punctuated with tear gas and rubber bullets between angry commuters and the police came to an end at around 7:30 pm.

The union representing the subway workers only agreed to halt the strike after a court hearing (labor court – “Tribunal Regional do Trabalho”) where they obtained pecuniary adjustments (an increase of R$19 to R$23 in meal tickets; an increase of R$150 to R$218 in food tickets; a salary supplement for dangerous work of 15% (up from 10%); and, finally, a salary increase of 6.17%, based on inflation of 4.15% plus a 1.94% real raise in pay).

At 8:00 pm, traffic was backed up in the city for only 118 kilometers.