This public hearing, convened by Congresswoman Érica Cocai, addressed allegations of fraudulent outsourcing and anti-union practices at Banco Santander within Brazil's financial sector.
Key speakers included union leaders, representatives of financial workers, parliamentarians, and Santander employees from multiple states, while the bank itself declined direct participation but submitted a formal letter.
The meeting resulted in commitments to pursue formal meetings with regulatory and labor oversight agencies, as well as to hold additional public hearings across Brazil.
Actionable referrals were made, and the next ordinary committee meeting was scheduled for Wednesday, July 10th, 10 a.m.
Action Items
By next committee meeting – Érica Cocai and committee staff: Draft and submit requests for meetings with (1) Banco Santander’s Brazilian representatives, (2) the Public Ministry of Labor, (3) Previc, and (4) the National Consumer Defense Secretariat, and for holding additional public hearings nationwide.
By next committee meeting – Committee staff: Organize and schedule the above meetings, dependent on formal committee approval.
Ongoing – All union representatives: Continue mobilizing banking sector workers and disseminating information about anti-union practices and precarious labor conditions.
Ongoing – Contraf, COI, and union leaders: Maintain documentation and reporting on outsourcing practices and impacts on worker rights and public services.
After recess (second semester) – Committee and union movement: Organize a major public act in the National Congress to denounce Santander’s labor practices and advocate for broader labor reforms.
Opening and Logistics
Congresswoman Érica Cocai opened the meeting, explained technical details, legal authorizations, and documented the participation process.
Santander declined to participate in person but acknowledged the discussion via an official letter.
The session was structured into two panels to accommodate all invited speakers.
Allegations Against Santander: Outsourcing and Labor Practices
Multiple speakers, including Giuvândia Moreira, Vanessa Queiroz, Neiva Ribeiro, and others, outlined how Santander allegedly:
Fragmented the workforce by creating numerous affiliated companies (over 30 new CNPJs), assigning workers to these entities to reduce costs and evade collective agreements.
Engaged in anti-union practices by reclassifying banking jobs under different union frameworks, lowering wages and benefits, and impeding union representation and collective bargaining.
Increased the use of “pejotization” (contracting workers as legal entities, not employees), contributing to precarity, wage losses, higher turnover, and undermined social protections.
Closed hundreds of bank branches, impacting employment and excluding vulnerable customers (particularly the elderly and those in remote areas) from banking services.
Reduced tax obligations through regulatory arbitrage and payroll exemptions, negatively affecting public revenues and societal welfare.
Broader Impacts: Tax, Social, and Economic Concerns
Data was presented highlighting:
Significant job losses in the banking sector, with women disproportionately affected.
Deteriorating working conditions leading to greater incidence of mental illness and exhaustion among workers.
Loss of tax revenue to municipalities and the federal government due to payroll exemptions and corporate structuring.
Diminishing contributions to pension and health funds for retirees, resulting in insecurity and hardship for former employees.
International and Legal Context
Representatives from UNI Global and the Ministry of Labor emphasized international labor standards and ILO conventions, noting that:
Outsourcing is permissible only if it does not undermine union rights, collective bargaining, or create discriminatory conditions.
Santander’s actions conflict with guidance from the OECD, the Basel Committee, International Finance Corporation, and the ILO, all of which call for social dialogue and respect for labor rights.
There are ongoing legal investigations and cases challenging these practices in Brazil and other Latin American countries.
Testimonies and Regional Perspectives
Union leaders from Rio Grande do Sul, Bahia, Sergipe, SĂŁo Paulo, BrasĂlia, and other states shared accounts of:
Community abandonment via branch closures, intensified workloads for remaining staff, and degraded customer services.
Stress and illness among current employees, especially those in outsourced or reclassified roles.
Erosion of pension rights for former Banespa and Meridional employees, with allegations of contractual violations and abuse of the elderly.
Parliamentary Support and Broader Political Context
Parliamentarians (including Deputies Érica Cocai, Reimon, and Tadeu Veneri) voiced support for worker mobilization, linking the issue to broader debates on labor reform, tax justice, and democracy.
The necessity for collaboration among unions, parliament, and civil society was repeatedly emphasized.
Decisions
Advance formal committee meetings with regulatory bodies and Santander — To address complaints regarding labor practices, consumer protection, and pension fund management.
Organize additional public hearings throughout Brazil — To raise awareness and collect further testimonies on the impacts of outsourcing and precarious labor.
Plan a national act in Congress post-recess — To draw public attention to labor rights violations at Santander and to advocate for broader regulatory reforms.
Open Questions / Follow-Ups
Will Santander’s leadership agree to a direct, in-person meeting with the committee delegation?
What will be the response of Previc and the National Consumer Defense Secretariat to the upcoming complaints?
What further legal or regulatory action can be taken to address the precarization of labor and anti-union practices in the financial sector?
How will the outcomes from this hearing and subsequent meetings influence broader labor policy and banking sector regulation in Brazil?