Brazilian bank workers hold national congress to push real wage hikes and job protection

From June 17‑19 2026, the 36ᵗʰ National Congress of Banco do Brasil employees gathered in São Paulo to debate the public‑bank’s role, health care, pension plans, remuneration and working conditions. Delegates said the meeting will shape proposals for the 28ᵗʰ National Conference of Bank Workers, which starts on June 19.

In a parallel event, the São Paulo bank‑workers’ union set the agenda for the 2026 Unified National Campaign. The priorities include a real salary and benefit increase equal to inflation plus 5 %, the maintenance of the current collective‑bargaining agreement, improved health protections, safeguards against job losses from artificial‑intelligence automation, and a defence of public banks and democratic institutions. Union data show the sector cut 31.3 thousand jobs since 2020, with 5.4 thousand vacancies eliminated in the first four months of 2026, especially affecting women. The five largest banks reported combined profits of R$ 123.8 billion in 2025 and R$ 34.6 billion in the first quarter of 2026. The campaign’s demands will be submitted to the Federação Nacional dos Bancos (Fenaban) ahead of the upcoming negotiations, as the current agreements expire on 31 August and the bancário base date is 1 September.