In Geneva, Luiz Marinho advocates for global taxation of large fortunes to eradicate extreme poverty and hunger #ILC2024

“We must tax large fortunes globally. Without this measure, eradicating extreme poverty and hunger in the world will not be possible,” stated the Brazilian Minister of Labor and Employment, Luiz Marinho, this Wednesday (12) morning in a statement delivered to the plenary of the 112th International Labor Conference (ILC), in Geneva, Switzerland. The Minister recalled that President Lula signed the exclusive funds taxation law last December, the results of which were already perceptible in the first months of 2024, when Brazil recorded its best revenue since the year 2000. “In our understanding, there is still much to be done”, stated Marinho.

Middle East - Luiz Marinho advocated for the inclusion of the Palestinian State in the ILO. “I would like to register my opinion and the Brazilian desire to see Palestine as a full member of the ILO.”

The role of the Economy - “We are actively seeking in the global scenario for a world in which the economy serves society and not the other way round,” stated the Minister. He mentioned the partnership with the USA for the rights of workers and Brazil's participation as co-president of the Global Coalition for Social Justice.

Rio Grande do Sul - Luiz Marinho started his speech stating that sustainability and the just transition are a priority for Brazil, which includes their application at the G20 Brasil. “I cannot refrain from mentioning the floods in the Southern part of our country, which destroyed entire cities and left 615 individuals dislodged, 178 dead, and over 38 missing persons so far,” said the Minister. He evaluated that there is no escape from climate change or the consequences of years of destruction of the global ecosystems. “The Lula administration is doing everything that is possible to minimize human and economic impacts. Last week alone, we released over BRL 60 billion the state of Rio Grande do Sul. The Ministry of Labor has secured BRL 1.2 billion for 430,000 workers from the affected areas who will receive the equivalent to two minimum wages each. [The measure was] negotiated with the local companies who will ensure that these individuals’ contracts is maintained for the [next] four months.”

Apps – Luiz Marinho spoke about the proposal for the regulation of app-based work for four-wheeled vehicles, currently under analysis at the National Congress and expected to be voted before the end of the year. “The proposal aims to protect drivers, ensure a fair wage, and decent work schedules, based on the binomial "autonomy with rights", stated the Minister, stressing that the norms must answer to a labor world in transformation.

Equal Pay – Luiz Marinho declared that Brazil continues to align with the ILO prescriptions. He mentioned the new law that establishes equal pay for women and men and stated that equality will never be complete without a policy for caring activities. “Being cared for is a right and a universal need, [and caring activities are] a real public good, with social and economic value. Without a fair caring policy, the social contract cannot be renewed,” Marinho declared.

Diversity - According to the Minister, “we must face the gender and racial division of labor, which overloads Black, Indigenous, and migrant women in particular, in order to ensure social and economic autonomy. We must move forward and ensure that all caring professionals, including the domestic ones, are valued. The State, society, companies, and families must be held co-responsible for the redistribution of caring activities.” 

Democracy and Labor – In relation to the report presented by ILO Director-General Gilbert Houngbo, which registers the importance of democracy in labor, the Brazilian Minister highlighted the importance of strengthening social dialogue institutions such as unions, workers associations, and other civil organizations. “Collective negotiations are a powerful tool to build consensus and social justice,” stated Marinho.

Agenda – This Thursday (14), Luiz Marinho will integrate the Brazilian delegation to the Global Coalition for Social Justice, where President Lula will deliver the inaugural speech. The President of Nepal, Ram Chandra Paudel, will also speak during the opening ceremony.

Read Minister Luiz Marinho's full statement here (available in Portuguese).