Labor market

Chancellor Friedrich Merz faced interruptions and skepticism from union delegates at the DGB congress in Berlin. Speaking before about 400 attendees, he defended his reform agenda while DGB chair Yasmin Fahimi warned against rolling back labor rights.

May 08, 2026 Reported by AI

Industrial equipment maker Festo plans to cut around 1300 jobs in Germany. Reasons include market changes, competition from Asia and geopolitical crises. The company aims to save 200 million euros per year worldwide.

Dane reported Colombia's February 2026 unemployment rate at 9.2%, the lowest for any February since 2001, with 2.45 million unemployed people. Occupied population rose to 24.09 million, up 624,000 from February 2025. President Gustavo Petro and Labor Minister Antonio Sanguino hailed the figures and defended the minimum wage increase.

March 18, 2026 Reported by AI

Accountant Nicolás Boglione analyzed Osecac's claim, the commerce health insurance provider, regarding costs to maintain health coverage for self-employed taxpayers. He highlighted the difference between contributions from independent workers and inflows from dependent employees. He warned that the current system is outdated in today's labor market.

A new survey reveals that Brazilian workers dedicate an average of 40.1 hours per week to paid work, below the global average of 42.7 hours. The analysis, based on data from 160 countries, shows Brazil in lower positions in rankings adjusted for productivity, demographics, and taxes. Brazilian women, in particular, are approaching the world standard, especially among the youngest.

February 09, 2026 Reported by AI

Chamber president Hugo Motta forwarded a PEC to the CCJ on Monday (9) to end the 6x1 work scale, a Lula government priority. He argued the discussion is unavoidable and started late in the country. The debate intensifies with an Ipea study on work hours reduction.