Lula launches campaign recalling union roots that propelled him to power

President Lula is set to launch his re-election campaign with a rally designed to evoke the powerful image of him addressing a packed stadium from atop a table. This scene is reminiscent of a pivotal 1979 union assembly in São Bernardo do Campo, which propelled the then-metalworkers' union leader to national political prominence.

On March 13, 1979, Lula spoke to approximately 60,000 workers at Vila Euclides stadium. This assembly marked the beginning of a two-week strike that halted operations for about 200,000 employees in what was then the country's largest automotive hub. The strike not only brought Lula national recognition but also laid the groundwork for the founding of the Workers' Party (PT) the following year. The movement's impact extended beyond the automotive sector, inspiring other groups like teachers and students, and even influencing Chico Buarque's 1980 song "Linha de Montagem."

The strike commenced just two days before the inauguration of President João Baptista Figueiredo, the final leader of Brazil's military dictatorship (1964-1985). While protests against Figueiredo were occurring, unionists maintained that the strike's sole motivation was labor-related issues. Djalma Bom, 87, the union's treasurer at the time, stated, "There was no intention, neither from our side nor from the workers, to seek regime change." Nelson Campanholo, 87, also a board member then, agreed, saying, "We only had the union in mind."

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O PT adquiriu um vício no internismo [disputar internas de poder] e precisa estimular a criação de movimentos sociais, trazê-los para a estrutura do partido.

Bom and Campanholo, along with another key union figure, Juno Rodrigues, 83, remain loyal to Lula, whom they describe as a friend from "the old days." However, they express concerns about the PT's current direction. Djalma Bom, a former federal and state deputy, believes the PT has become too focused on electoral politics and needs to revitalize its connection with social movements and community engagement. He criticizes "internal power struggles" within the party and urges it to "reunite more with society, [return to being] friends with the neighborhood."

Nelson Campanholo, a former councilman and president of the São Bernardo Municipal Chamber, still votes for the PT but feels the party has lost touch with its grassroots. He laments that many party members now ask, "What is the PT doing for me?" rather than contributing to the party's cause, a sentiment he finds regrettable.

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O PT precisa se reunir mais com a sociedade, [voltar a ser] amigo do bairro.