Five thousand metal workers at the Bosch factory in Curitiba, Brazil on Tuesday continued the strike begun on Friday after receiving no new salary increase proposals from their employer.


The plant is the biggest auto parts exporter in southern Brazil.


The metalworkers had on Friday rejected a proposed 11% increase (pay hike and 100% correction for inflation) effective from next April, plus a bonus of R$1,500 (US$684.93) payable 9 January. Instead, they voted to stop work in protest for 72 hours, awaiting a new offer from Bosch.


The 82,000 sq m factory makes diesel fuel injection systems for commercial vehicles.