Superior Labor Court president criticizes Brazil's 2017 labor reform

Luiz Philippe Vieira de Mello Filho, president of Brazil’s Superior Labor Court (TST), has criticized the 2017 labor reform, describing it as ‘not an honest law.’ Speaking at a debate at the Fundação Fernando Henrique Cardoso, the minister argued that the reform lacked a republican process and failed to include necessary dialogue with workers.

According to Vieira de Mello Filho, the legislative process was flawed because a project originally containing only seven articles was expanded to nearly 200 without proper negotiation with labor entities. He noted that while professional entities were invited to an event at the Chamber of Deputies, the vote took place the very next day. He suggested that this lack of collective dialogue, which deviates from International Labour Organization (ILO) conventions, has led to the legal distortions currently being debated in the judiciary.

The minister emphasized that legislative debates should reconcile economic logic with social principles, as mandated by the Constitution. He also addressed the rise of platform work, noting that the absence of specific legislation for app-based drivers and delivery workers has forced the Labor Court to rely on the Consolidation of Labor Laws (CLT) to resolve disputes.