The World - News from March 16, 1989

Police and striking workers in Rio de Janeiro and three other Brazilian cities fought sporadic battles, leaving 10 people wounded, in the second day of a 48-hour nationwide strike to protest the government’s economic austerity program, officials said. Rio’s subway, commuter ferry and government-run commuter trains, which carry about 1 million passengers a day, remained idle. Brazil’s two main trade unions organized the strike to protest what they describe as a 40% cut in real wages since March, 1986. The unions are calling on the government to lift a price and wage freeze, imposed in January to help control 1,000% inflation.