Collective agreements in Brazil: what they are and how to find yours

A collective agreement (convenção coletiva) is signed between the workers' union and the employers' union of a category. It usually sets the pay floor, the annual raise, meal vouchers, premiums above the legal minimum and other rules. The text is public and can be read for free in the Mediador system of Brazil's Ministry of Labor and Employment.

Quick summary

• Collective agreement (convenção): workers' union + employers' union; applies to the whole category in the region.
• Company agreement (acordo coletivo): workers' union + one or more companies; applies only to them.
• Where to read it: the Ministry of Labor's Mediador system, the union's website or the company's HR.
• Validity: up to 2 years, with no automatic extension after it ends (CLT, art. 614, § 3).
• Force: on many topics it prevails over the law (CLT, art. 611-A).

How to find your union

The union is defined by the company's main activity, not by your job, except for differentiated categories such as drivers, secretaries and safety technicians. The quickest route:

1. Check your payslip or work card for a reference to the union or union contribution.
2. Ask HR which agreement the company applies.
3. Search Mediador by the company's CNPJ or the union's name and city.

What to look for in the text

• Pay floor: the minimum salary for your job.
• Raise: percentage and base date.
• Benefits: meal voucher, food basket, health plan, profit sharing.
• Hours: time bank, schedules, higher overtime premiums.
• Extra job security: for example, before retirement.

Frequently asked questions

Can the employer pay less than the agreement's pay floor?

No. The pay floor is mandatory for the category; the difference can be claimed with its reflexes.

Does an expired agreement still apply?

No. Since 2017 the law forbids extending expired clauses, and the STF confirmed this rule.

I am not a union member. Does the agreement apply to me?

Yes. It applies to everyone in the category, members or not.

Read more in this series

• Negotiated over legislated: what agreements can change
• Union assistance contribution
• CLT worker rights: complete guide
• Index: complete guide to labor rights

Topic: this guide is part of Pay and benefits, with all the guides on the subject.