The World : Troops at Brazil Refineries

Brazilian troops moved into the country’s oil refineries as the country’s labor troubles worsened and strikes threatened to spread throughout the key industry. A spokesman for Petrobras, the state oil company, told reporters that the firm asked for military intervention to guarantee continued production in the event that oil workers follow through on their threat to walk out to press a claim for a 71% pay raise. The company has offered 38%. Brazil’s supplies of oil-based products already have been badly affected by a 12-day-old national seamen’s strike. Brazil sent marines into the country’s main ports after a labor tribunal ruled that the seamen’s strike was illegal.