The labor reform implemented in 2017 was necessary and brought important advances, according to the chairman of the Labor Relations Council of the National Confederation of Industry (CNI), Alexandre Furlan.
In an interview with CNN this Wednesday (19), Furlan explained that there had already been a debate for years for an amendment that would adapt the laws to current labor relations. Even so, the rights guaranteed in the Constitution, such as FGTS, vacations, maternity leave, among others, were maintained.
“Brazil must be one of the only countries in the world that raised workers’ rights to a constitutional level, so all that are listed there were kept, even because they could not be changed by ordinary law,” he said.
Earlier this year, Workers’ Party (PT) leaders supported the repeal of the labor reform. The president of the CNI’s Labor Relations Council said that it is necessary to be open to debate in order to advance the reform, but not to go backwards with it. Furthermore, for that, it would be necessary to vote a proposal in Congress.
“Five years is a short period for a structural reform to be implemented in its entirety”, he said.
Furlan said that dialogue is necessary to understand what can be changed and advanced, always aiming at modernization. Thus, the debate in a tripartite model – government, employer and employee – must be carried out constantly.
“What the reform sought was to bring the local reality of each company and economic sector closer to the negotiation between employers and workers, but making it very clear what cannot be the object of negotiation”, he said.
During the interview, the CNI representative acknowledged that there is a significant number of informal workers, but also stated that the increase was driven by the Covid-19 pandemic, also making it difficult to fully implement the reform.
In addition to the importance of the reform, Furlan understands that economic growth is essential for expanding productive activities and reducing informality.
“We have to be aware of the difficulties that workers have. It is not only with help that we will improve their situation, but with dialogue and professional improvement”, he said.
Watch the full interview in the video above.
Reference: CNN Brasil
