Export fruit culture of the São Francisco Valley, Brazil, and the economy crisis: effects on the 2009-2010 collective labor agreement

  • Tales Wanderley Vital Universidade Federal Rural de Pernambuco – UFRPE
  • Horst Dieter Moller Universidade Federal Rural de Pernambuco – UFRPE
  • Luis Andrea Favero Universidade Federal Rural de Pernambuco – UFRPE
  • Yony de Sá Barreto Sampaio Universidade Federal Rural de Pernambuco – UFRPE
  • Elias Silva Instituto Federal de Educação e Tecnologia - IFET
Keywords: Collective Labor Agreement, Fruit Culture, São Francisco Valley Basin, Brazil.

Abstract

The worldwide economic crisis reduced the demand for imported good to the USA and EU and largely affected mango and grape exports from the São Francisco river basin, Brazil. Fruits had to be paid for within 90 and 120 days. Due to exports and price decrease many enterprises temporarily suspended their production activities and some had to quit the market. Decrease in economic activities also affected employment with deep deterioration in 2009. The collective labor agreement between producers and workers mediated by the Labor Ministry started in January through February. The 2008 economic crisis affected producers and workers alike. Current analysis investigates the conditions of the two groups and their interests in the preparation and the results of the agreement. Maintenance of job prevailed over wage increase, following the model of collective negotiations when conditions are threatened by mass unemployment.

Author Biographies

Tales Wanderley Vital, Universidade Federal Rural de Pernambuco – UFRPE
Doutor em Economia pela Universidade Federal Rural de Pernambuco – UFRPE; Docente Adjunto da Universidade Federal Rural de Pernambuco – UFRPE. E-mail: talesvital@hotmail.com
Horst Dieter Moller, Universidade Federal Rural de Pernambuco – UFRPE
Doutor em Economia pela Universitat Hamburg; Docente Adjunto da Universidade Federal Rural de Pernambuco – UFRPE. E-mail: horst@hotlink.com.br
Luis Andrea Favero, Universidade Federal Rural de Pernambuco – UFRPE
Doutor em Economia e Sociologia Rural pela Universite de Paris X; Docente Adjunto da Universidade Federal Rural de Pernambuco – UFRPE. E-mail: l.favero@uol.com.br
Yony de Sá Barreto Sampaio, Universidade Federal Rural de Pernambuco – UFRPE
PhD em Economia; Docente Titular da Universidade Federal Rural de Pernambuco – UFRPE. E-mail: sampyony@yahoo.com.br
Elias Silva, Instituto Federal de Educação e Tecnologia - IFET
Mestre em Administração e Desenvolvimento Rural; Docente do Instituto Federal de Educação e Tecnologia - IFET. E-mail: es.silva1972@uol.com.br
Published
2011-05-26
Section
Agrobusiness