Brazil Industry Leaders Call for New Work Pact to Boost Productivity

The fifth edition of the Eloos forum was held on Monday, August 3, in Belo Horizonte, bringing together business leaders, lawyers and politicians to discuss ending the "6 × 1" work scale and establishing a new productivity‑focused work pact. Panelists included Cássia Marize Hatem Guimarães, deputy secretary‑general of the OAB‑MG and president of the Minas Gerais Labor Advocacy Association; Raphael Lafetá, president of the Construction Industry Union of Minas Gerais; Contagem mayor Ricardo Faria (PSD); and Bruno Ligório, president of the Heavy Construction Industry Union of Minas Gerais.

Speakers argued that Brazil’s high informality and low productivity require broader legislative and policy reforms. Guimarães said, “We need to put the real problems of the country on the table; there is no increase in wealth without an increase in productivity.” Faria warned that taxing payroll “creates a disgrace for entrepreneurs” and could push more workers into informal arrangements. The discussion emphasized that isolated legal changes are insufficient without a comprehensive strategy that includes workers, employers and the state.

The forum, organized by Itatiaia in partnership with CNN Brazil, called for a coordinated effort to modernize labor relations, improve infrastructure investment and raise wages to make Brazil more competitive internationally.