Workers at Brazilian World Cup stadium where worker died walk off the job

RIO DE JANEIRO – News reports say construction workers have walked off the job at the World Cup stadium in Brazil’s jungle city of Manaus after a worker fell 115 feet to his death.

The G1 Internet portal said the stoppage has brought all work on the stadium to a halt.

The G1 report cited a labour union representing construction workers as saying the stadium’s estimated 1,800 workers walked off the job early Monday to protest safety conditions and what they described as pressure to speed up the project. Amazonas state government officials have denied applying pressure to accelerate the work.

The work stoppage follows a Sunday decision by a Manaus court that froze work in all areas where labourers need to be high above the ground.