LABOR RELATIONS
In 1988, the Brazilian Constitution granted standing unions to protect the interests of employees. These unions were granted the authority to negotiate on their behalf regarding salaries, benefits, working hours, etc. There has been a great amount of debate over these agreements, which stemmed from the language allowing unions to collectively bargain for lower salaries and fewer benefits. Fortunately for employees, employee benefits are protected under the constitution and cannot be revoked or reduced by the employer or unions once an employer/employee agreement has been reached.
Major labor unions in Brazil include Metal Worker's Association, Banker's Association, Commerce Worker's Association, and Teacher's Union. These unions are overseen by the Ministerio do Trabalho, the main governing body for unions in Brazil. The Ministerio do Trabalho is responsible for overseeing the collective baragaining agreements for the unions, and has been credited with establishing a minimum wage in Brazil. Each of the individual labor unions also belongs to one of the three major labor corporations: CUT, Conlutas, and Forca Sindical.
Labor unions in Brazil mainly serve to represent the workers and the worker's interests. Labor unions are the only organizations in Brazil that are responsible for electing working class representatives. These representatives are responsible for making collective decisions affecting workers, and collaborating with the government regarding the working class' working conditions and needs, as well as collecting financial support from workers (union dues). Labor unions also provide additional benefits to employees such as attorneys and attorney fees for employees who are not able to afford it. In the event of the termination of a unionized employee who has been employed for over a year, the union officials must grant approval for the termination and file the appropriate paperwork with the labor office.
Labor unions can present significant difficulty for employers. It is important to note that the labor union organizations, specifically the Ministerio do Trabalho, are responsible for establishing a minimum wage in Brazil. The set minimum wage has significantly increased the living conditions and standard of living for the working class in Brazil. This elevation may be partly responsible for the safer working environment in the country, leading to further investment in the economic state by other countries.
Sources:
Society for human resource management. (2014). International Assignment: Extraterritorial Laws: Do laws like the Fair Labor Standards Act and the Family and Medical Leave Act apply to U.S. citizens working in several other countries? Retrieved from http://www.shrm.org/templatestools/hrqa/pages/dolawslikethefairlaborstandardsactandthefamilyandmedicalleaveactapplytouscitizensworkinginseveralothercountries.aspx
Novais, A. (2012). Labor unions in Brazil. The Brazil Business. Retrieved from
http://thebrazilbusiness.com/article/labor-unions-in-brazil
Utsumi, I. (2014). Comparing employment law in USA and Brazil. The Brazil business. Retrieved from
http://thebrazilbusiness.com/article/comparing-employment-law-in-usa-and-brazil
In 1988, the Brazilian Constitution granted standing unions to protect the interests of employees. These unions were granted the authority to negotiate on their behalf regarding salaries, benefits, working hours, etc. There has been a great amount of debate over these agreements, which stemmed from the language allowing unions to collectively bargain for lower salaries and fewer benefits. Fortunately for employees, employee benefits are protected under the constitution and cannot be revoked or reduced by the employer or unions once an employer/employee agreement has been reached.
Major labor unions in Brazil include Metal Worker's Association, Banker's Association, Commerce Worker's Association, and Teacher's Union. These unions are overseen by the Ministerio do Trabalho, the main governing body for unions in Brazil. The Ministerio do Trabalho is responsible for overseeing the collective baragaining agreements for the unions, and has been credited with establishing a minimum wage in Brazil. Each of the individual labor unions also belongs to one of the three major labor corporations: CUT, Conlutas, and Forca Sindical.
Labor unions in Brazil mainly serve to represent the workers and the worker's interests. Labor unions are the only organizations in Brazil that are responsible for electing working class representatives. These representatives are responsible for making collective decisions affecting workers, and collaborating with the government regarding the working class' working conditions and needs, as well as collecting financial support from workers (union dues). Labor unions also provide additional benefits to employees such as attorneys and attorney fees for employees who are not able to afford it. In the event of the termination of a unionized employee who has been employed for over a year, the union officials must grant approval for the termination and file the appropriate paperwork with the labor office.
Labor unions can present significant difficulty for employers. It is important to note that the labor union organizations, specifically the Ministerio do Trabalho, are responsible for establishing a minimum wage in Brazil. The set minimum wage has significantly increased the living conditions and standard of living for the working class in Brazil. This elevation may be partly responsible for the safer working environment in the country, leading to further investment in the economic state by other countries.
Sources:
Society for human resource management. (2014). International Assignment: Extraterritorial Laws: Do laws like the Fair Labor Standards Act and the Family and Medical Leave Act apply to U.S. citizens working in several other countries? Retrieved from http://www.shrm.org/templatestools/hrqa/pages/dolawslikethefairlaborstandardsactandthefamilyandmedicalleaveactapplytouscitizensworkinginseveralothercountries.aspx
Novais, A. (2012). Labor unions in Brazil. The Brazil Business. Retrieved from
http://thebrazilbusiness.com/article/labor-unions-in-brazil
Utsumi, I. (2014). Comparing employment law in USA and Brazil. The Brazil business. Retrieved from
http://thebrazilbusiness.com/article/comparing-employment-law-in-usa-and-brazil