<article><p class="lead">Brazil's oil labor federation (FUP) suspended a strike at state-controlled Petrobras after a labor court temporarily blocked the company's plan to lay off employees at a fertilizer plant.</p><p>Petrobras' mid-January decision to mothball the loss-making Fafen-PR fertilizer plant and cut payroll was a top FUP grievance. But the nearly three-week strike was more broadly aimed at thwarting Petrobras' sweeping divestment plans.</p><p>The union warned that it remains on notice to resume the strike pending court decisions next month.</p><p>An 18 February decision by a regional labor court (TRT) forced Petrobras to hold off on firing the fertilizer plant workers. The full TRT in Parana state is scheduled to make a final ruling on 6 March. Separately, the supreme labor court that ruled the strike illegal on 17 February is expected to hear FUP's appeal on 9 March.</p><p>Petrobras is scheduled to meet with FUP leaders tomorrow in Brasilia for negotiations urged by the country's supreme labor court. </p><p>Over the course of the strike that started on 1 February, the FUP touted the participation of around 21,000 workers at 58 platforms and 11 refineries, among other installations. </p><p>Petrobras did not report any impact on upstream and downstream operations, which it said it was able to sustain with the help of contingency crews.</p><p>The strike was the longest since a 32-day work action in 1995. A continuation of the strike threatened to sap fuel supplies during Brazil's popular Carnival season.</p><p class="bylines">By Nathan Walters</p></article>
