The Minister of Labor and Employment, Luiz Marinho, participated this Thursday (4) in the opening of the São Paulo Stage of the II National Labor Conference (II CNT), in the capital of São Paulo. At the event, he cited the need to debate topics such as the financing of unions and the end of the 6 to 1 scale, which provides for six days of work and one day of rest per week. 
“May you make a wonderful contribution from this to the national conference and that we can, based on understanding, face problems that society asks of us such as the end of 6 for 1”, said the minister.
“I am always of the idea that parliament should think about legislation, but always leave space at the negotiation table. Unions, workers, employers to build the day-to-day relationship”, he declared.
The Proposed Amendment to the Constitution (PEC) that ends the scale of six days of work for one day off is under analysis in the National Congress.
The minister also argued that it is necessary to guarantee financial conditions for unions so that they can act in defense of workers.
“I need the business bench to help in the debate with parliament to reconstitute the right of workers’ unions to be able to sustain themselves financially, decently, to represent the workers’ segment.”
According to Marinho, this is an important issue, because it is difficult for unions to be able to represent categories of workers well if they are not in a position to do so.
The minister highlighted that there is currently an accelerated process of transforming the job market based on artificial intelligence.
“Therefore, we have immense challenges in qualifying and training our workforce, enabling our minds to understand, interpret and act to avoid the various problems we may have”, he said.
Held at the Regional Superintendence of Labor and Employment in São Paulo, the event brought together representatives of workers, employers and the government to discuss challenges and priorities in the world of work in the state. The approved proposals will be forwarded to the national stage of the conference, scheduled to take place in March 2026, also in São Paulo.
Job market
THE Diagnosis of Decent Work in São Pauloreleased by the ministry, shows a job market with 70.8% formalization, above the national average. Still, 7.1 million people remain informal.
The unemployment rate is 5.1%, reaching 8.1% among young people (18 to 29 years old).
The data show that the state average income (R$4,170) exceeds the national income, but inequalities persist: women earn 77% of men’s income, and black people, 61.5% of that received by white people. The report also records 197,500 children and adolescents in child labor and the need to expand policies to reconcile work and family life.
“There is the issue of equality. Equality of opportunities, equal pay, but not just salary. I know that there is an effort by companies to provide more and more opportunities. But everything we have done so far is totally insufficient to meet the needs”, concluded the minister. “We need more women in the management of companies and entities”, he added.
He mentioned that, if there are more women than men in society, there is no explanation for having more men in the various representations. “But it is not by decree. It is by conscience, it is by construction and this construction must be collective.”
The minister also commented on the issue of violence against women, which has had recent repercussions due to cases that occurred in the capital of São Paulo.
“We can, in our environments, provoke debates that lead to the maturity of men and women, especially men. Because, if it is feminicide, it means women being attacked by men. And often in the family environment”, he highlighted.
