Employees of Companhia Paulista de Trens Metropolitanos (CPTM) voted on 27 July to begin an indefinite strike at midnight on 4 August if the state government fails to present an employment-security plan. The walk-out would halt Lines 11-Coral, 12-Safira and 13-Jade—including the Expresso Aeroporto service that connects São Paulo/Guarulhos International Airport (GRU) with the city’s eastern suburbs. The decision follows the state’s takeover of operations from concessionaire Trivia Trens after a series of equipment failures earlier this month. Roughly one million passengers use the three lines daily; during previous stoppages, airport travellers faced two-hour taxi queues and surge-pricing on ride-hailing apps. If confirmed, the strike will coincide with the post-winter-break business-travel peak and could cascade into missed flights and hotel no-shows. Mobility coordinators with inbound assignees transiting through GRU should budget extra transfer time or switch to direct bus or private-hire vehicles. Local HR teams should inform expatriates living along the eastern rail corridor of remote-work options and alternative bus routes. Companies that reimburse commuting costs should expect higher ride-share expenses. The union has demanded re-statization of previously privatized lines, job guarantees and passage of bill PL 730/2025, which would absorb CPTM staff into other state entities. Negotiations will continue through 3 August; however, contingency planning is advised given the high likelihood of at least a 24-hour stoppage.
Source: iG Último Segundo
