Brazil’s economic growth helped labor unions get better salary adjustments in 2004, according to Ademir Figueiredo, coordinator of the Inter-Union Department of Statistics and Socio-Economic Studies (Dieese).
Figueiredo says that the 5.2% increase in the GDP (gross domestic product), and the reduction on inflation and unemployment rates helped unions obtain above inflation salaries adjustments at a high number of collective agreements and conventions.
The annual research, released Wednesday, March 30, by Dieese, analyzed 658 negotiations, of which 80.9% reached salary adjustments equal or above the Consumer Price Index (INPC) reported by the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE).
This was the best year since 1996, when the research began.
Figueiredo recalls that the second best year was 2000, when 66.7% of salaries had adjustments above or equal to the INPC.
“In 2000, GDP growth was 4.4%, the closest to last year’s, helping agreements then,” explains Figueiredo.
The worst year was 2003, according to the Dieese, with 58.4% of salary adjustments below inflation.
Translation: Andréa Alves
Agência Brasil