Brazil World Cup 2014: Builders strike at Amazon stadium

Work had already been partially suspended at the stadium by a court order

Construction workers at the World Cup football stadium in the Brazilian city of Manaus have gone on strike demanding better safety conditions.

The builders' union took the action after a worker fell more than 35m (100ft) to his death on Saturday.

All high work had already been halted by a court order on the weekend. It is not clear when the contractors will resume work.

Half of the 12 stadiums being built for the tournament are behind schedule.

The workers at Arena Amazonia say pressure to finish the construction is affecting their safety.

'Constant pressure'

"The rating for safety in the building site is zero ... and we're under constant pressure to work," builder Jose Aristoteles de Souza Filho told the Brazilian news website G1.

Union leaders suggested the industrial action could be ended on Tuesday but work at high sectors of the stadium remains banned by a court order.

Prosecutors had demanded the suspension until contracting firm Andrade Gutierrez presented a detailed report on the site's safety conditions.

Working conditions were "unacceptably dangerous" and the contractors could be fined, the prosecutors said.

The Amazon stadium will host England's opening match of the 2014 World Cup

"The Public Prosecutor's Office cannot allow the urgency of finishing construction for the 2014 World Cup to be at the cost of the life and wellbeing of those working on it."

A team of experts inspected the building site on Monday and is expected to produce a detailed report about the safety precautions.

The specialists are also reportedly looking into the working procedures at the site.

Marcleudo de Melo Ferreira, 22, died in a hospital in Manaus after the fall.

Hours later, another worker died of a heart attack at a nearby construction site. His family said he was overworked.

In March, another builder died in the Arena Amazonia after falling from a height of about 5m.

The stadium in the Amazonian jungle city is where the England team will open their 2014 World Cup campaign, playing against Italy.