The Stevedores' Union of Santos, São Vicente, Guarujá and Cubatão (Sindestiva) has announced 24-hour work stoppages at Santos Port as a form of protest against possible changes to the port sector's legal framework. The mobilization was approved in assembly and is to occur every Wednesday.
The category's main concern is the possibility of losing exclusivity in the exercise of port activities, a topic at the center of discussions on Bill (PL) 733/2025, currently under analysis in the National Congress.
According to Sindestiva's president, Bruno José dos Santos, the movement is a way to pressure the public authorities before the presentation of the final report by federal deputy Arthur Maia (União-BA), scheduled for the coming days.
According to the union leader, if the text brings changes that eliminate stevedores' exclusivity, the category may launch a strike of indefinite duration. He states that the measure seeks to draw the attention of authorities, including the President of the Republic, to the impacts that the proposal may generate on workers.
The project under discussion provides for the updating of the Ports Law (Law 12,815/2013), with the incorporation of new rules for the sector. However, the proposal does not have consensus among representative entities.
A group of port unions issued a joint statement informing that it will not adhere to the strike movement. The entities state that, after analyzing the text under discussion, they understand that the project preserves rights, ensures legal certainty and maintains the structure of port work organization.
The disagreement reveals a split among category representatives. While Sindestiva warns of risks of weakening the profession, other entities assess that the new framework could bring stability and institutional advances.
On the national stage, the National Federation of Stevedores (FNE) adopts a cautious stance and awaits the disclosure of the final report before defining any potential mobilizations. The entity's president, José Adilson Pereira, stressed the importance of dialogue with the committee responsible for the proposal.
The expectation now centers on the final content of the report, which should guide the next steps of both workers and port sector entities.
Public statement – Santos Port Unit
Non-adherence to the strike movement
The trade union entities SINTRAPORT, SINDAPORT, SINDOGEESP, CONSIDERADORES, CONFERENTES, SINDOGEESP and SINDOCOMUN communicate that they will not adhere to the strike movement called by SINDESTIVA, with work stoppage scheduled only for Wednesdays.
The entities inform that, following meetings held in the context of discussions on PL No. 733/2025, they understand that the proposal presented preserves rights and ensures the necessary stability in labor relations.
The entities reaffirm their commitment to defending the category through dialogue, collective bargaining and responsible institutional action, remaining attentive to legislative proceedings and ready to act whenever necessary.
Santos, March 24, 2026.
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