Prepare for another bank strike

The bank strike now enters into its second week and today 11,000 more bank branches across the country have joined the nationwide strike.

Only in Brazil would something like this be allowed!!! In most "developed" countries bank employees do not have the right to strike, since they paralyze the economy of the nation and hold the clients hostage in the process.

Here in Brazil they even continue to receive their salaries, despite the fact that they're on strike. This does not happen in "civilized" countries.

Cheers,
James   Expat-blog Experts Team

FYI, I have got some acquaintances who have been able to call directly their bank manager despite that their local branch was closed. So worth a try if someone need to resolve/ask something urgent to his bank.

Anyone in managerial positions at the bank (branch manager, department managers, etc.) is not effected by the strike. They are, in fact, required to be in the branch during normal banking hours in order to confirm the ATM transactions, assist the armored car driver and guards replenish the ATMs with cash, etc. They may answer telephone calls in some cases, but many will not. It's really just a roll of the dice.

Cheers,
James   Expat-blog Experts Team

James, Do the airport Cambios work or ATMs to get reais for dollars? Will be leaving US today. Roger

I don't believe that the "Casa de Cambio" employees are members of the same unions as the banks. I know that during a previous strike I dealt with a cambio in Rio and it remained open throughout the strike.

Regarding ATM's no, they only dispense Reais. You can withdraw from a foreign account and receive Reais, but you can't exchange cash, since you can't deposit to foreign accounts through an ATM.

Cheers,
James    Expat-blog Experts Team

I am used to it now after so many years, I know that every September/October the banks go on strike.

worldcitizen2020 wrote:

I am used to it now after so many years, I know that every September/October the banks go on strike.

The Correios (Post Office) in September/October too. And don't forget that every Christmas the airlines go on strike!

Oh yeas, i forgot all about correios yes youre right , september and October seems to be strike season.

James wrote:

I don't believe that the "Casa de Cambio" employees are members of the same unions as the banks. I know that during a previous strike I dealt with a cambio in Rio and it remained open throughout the strike.

Regarding ATM's no, they only dispense Reais. You can withdraw from a foreign account and receive Reais, but you can't exchange cash, since you can't deposit to foreign accounts through an ATM.

Cheers,
James    Expat-blog Experts Team

I just wanted to let everyone know that here in Campinas, there is an ATM at a Santander branch near UNICAMP that dispenses dollars.  I don't know if ATMs like this are common here in Brazil, but speaking from personal experience, they do exist.

Wow Victoria, that's a great surprise to me... it's a wonderful idea and that's probably why it hasn't really caught on in Brazil.

It begs the question if other SANTANDER branches in Brazil do the same? Let's hope we here from our members all across Brazil who will take the time to find out.

Cheers,
James    Expat-blog Experts Team

Just checked online and at branches of SANTANDER SELECT it is possible to make withdrawals in US Dollars. Now it's just a matter of finding a branch that is SELECT near you!!!

Wouldn't it be great if other banks followed Santander's lead???

Cheers,
James   Expat-blog Experts Team

I'm not sure on the accuracy and how exactly he knows this, but we're friends with one of the regional managers of Itau. He says that the strike will probably be over by monday.