In Brazil alone there are 43 unions, federations and confederations affiliated representing more than 1 million workers. In recent years the severe economic crisis has been deepened by the involvement of important construction companies and politicians in major corruption scandals that have led to one of the greatest political crises in the country's history.
The construction sector has been suffering from a sharp contraction in activity and a continued loss of employment. Recent labour law reforms remove workers' rights and formalize precarious employment conditions, thus eroding protections for workers. Given the high level of informal employment in construction, and in in civil construction in particular, these reforms worsen an already critical situation for workers in the sector.
In July 2017, BWI and its affiliates responded by launching the "Campaign for the Resumption of Employment and Development" in order to challenge public agencies, employers' associations and civil society to immediately resume stalled construction projects to return to growth that generates employment and income. Construction is a fundamental pillar for economic recovery due to its dynamism and its instant effects on employment and investment.
BWI demands an immediate resumption of paralyzed projects - see here.