Workers at the construction companies in charge of building some of the main venues for the Rio de Janeiro 2016 Olympics went on strike Monday to demand better pay and working conditions, according to dpa. According to the Heavy Construction Industry Workers Trade Union (SitraICP), about 70 per cent of the sector's estimated 12,000 workers in Rio are taking part in the strike. They demand an 8.5-per-cent pay rise, while their employers offer 7.13 per cent. The strike affects work on the Deodoro Olympic Park, which is set to host 11 Olympic and four Paralympic tournaments, and the Joao Havelange Olympic Stadium, which is set to host athletics events. The protest also affects construction of Rio's subway, which is intended to connect the city centre with the Barra da Tijuca neighbourhood, which will be the heart of the Games. Works did not stop completely because Judge Angelo Zamorano demanded that the trade union keep 30 per cent of each construction company's workers active during the strike. A meeting was scheduled for Friday in Rio to try to find consensus between workers and their employers.
