Manaus bus drivers approve strike over unpaid subsidies

Workers of the municipal bus system in Manaus voted to begin a strike on Tuesday, April 7, citing repeated delays in salary and benefits payments and an estimated R$ 70 million debt linked to the student‑pass subsidy. The union has filed a public civil action against nine bus companies, the city hall and the municipal mobility institute, while a court order to block assets was postponed.

Mayor Renato Junior said the municipality will continue talks with complementary‑transport operators, but any subsidies will depend on meeting technical criteria set by the Institute of Municipal Mobility. He noted that only one of seven cooperatives joined the recent protest, which he attributed to political motives, and claimed a micro‑bus was set on fire to draw attention to the dispute.