II. THE GOVERNMENT ACTIONS

 

II.8 Conducting Negotiations with Labor Organizations

The Federal Government is conducting the programs and reforms in partnership with all the social actors in the labor area. The state and municipal governments are also partners. The quest for consensus is a basic principal of governmental action.

The intention is to increasingly consolidate the tripartite system, of which the Executive Council of the Workers'Assistance Fund (Codefat) is one of the most important expressions. In the Codefat occurs the decision — by representatives of the government, employees and employers, at equal level — about programs and resource allocation for various actions that the Ministry of Labor accomplishes on employment promotion (Proemprego, Sine, Proger, Professional Qualification), on unemployed worker's protection (unemployment insurance) and in the improvement of the worker's life quality (wage extras).

To participate in the decisions relative to the implementation of the Proemprego and of the Employment Protocol, the trade union centers will also have a seat at the BNDES's Board of Administration.

As a privileged forum for the discussion of labor reforms, the Federal Government is instituting the National Labor Board, under the Ministry of Labor's coordination, also an organ of tripartite and leveling nature. This Board is the major interface of the Federal Government with the other entities and organizations that act upon the labor area.

The National Congress, in its turn, is a natural partner and negotiator, because the approval of the major changes on the legislation that disciplines the functioning of the market and that regulates the labor relations in the country depends upon it.

The state and municipal governments are also indispensable partners for the success of many job growth and protection programs, that have one of its major characteristics in decentralization.

The Government understands that a great deal of dialogue, permanent negotiation and society support are necessary in order to change the direction of labor relations in Brazil.