The High Rate of Labor Informality in Recôncavo Baiano Violates the Labor and Social Security Rights of Rural Workers

Abstract

After the promulgation of the 1988 Federal Constitution, Brazilian rural workers were granted the same rights and labor guarantees as urban workers, even though they are governed by a specific law. However, after more than three decades of the Constitution's existence, it can be noted through this research that rural workers continue to have their rights violated by employers, leading to high levels of informal work in the region. This is shown by the data from this research, where it is revealed that 97% of the rural workers in the territory of the Recôncavo Baiano work informally and are not being assisted by their category's union or by state control agencies. As a consequence, the absence of formal work has increased the social security deficit, since these workers do not contribute to the social security financing system. However, and justly so, in old age they are entitled to a rural retirement when they are part of the family economy regime, since these workers carry out important activities for the economic development and feeding of the community through agricultural production.