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The boom in the construction industry in Brazil is hampered by a shortage of workers. Business owners are proposing changes to the Bolsa Família program rules to the government to attract beneficiaries to the formal market without losing the benefit.
The construction sector in Brazil is facing an unusual and alarming challenge: the shortage of workers on construction sites.
Despite a buoyant economic scenario and the sector on the verge of breaking historic records, a surprising factor is discouraging the search for jobs in the sector.
The answer to this situation directly involves the impacts of social programs, especially Bolsa Família, on the dynamics of labor market.
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The problem, which has recently begun to gain attention, has led construction companies and unions to coordinate measures to reverse the situation.
As reported by the newspaper Leaf Victory This Monday (9), the proposal under development aims to create incentives so that Bolsa Família beneficiaries feel more confident in entering the formal market without losing the financial security guaranteed by the program.
The dilemma between social benefits and the labor market
Currently, Bolsa Família serves around 20,7 million families in Brazil, with an average value of R$684 per month.
To be eligible, income per person must be up to R$218 per month, which makes the benefit an essential tool in the fight against extreme poverty.
However, its interaction with the formal labor market raises concerns among construction entrepreneurs.
Rubens Menin, founder of MRV, described the program as a “competitor” in the sector.
According to him, the current dynamics mean that many beneficiaries choose to remain outside the formal job market to avoid the risk of losing the benefit.
“We need social programs in Brazil, but they are our competitors,” said Menin.
He also highlighted that the sector has invested in training, productivity and quality of vacancies to attract more workers.
Record employment, but labor shortages
The construction industry is experiencing a period of growth, with the creation of 2,9 million formal jobs, the highest number in a decade.
This was driven by residential and commercial works, including the Minha Casa, Minha Vida program.
Even so, the sector has not been able to fill its vacancies due to the lack of qualified labor.
The president of the Housing Union (Secovi-SP), Rodrigo Luna, also defended the need for changes.
“We need to create policies that restore people’s dignity and provide opportunities for them to become self-sufficient,” Luna said.
He suggested submitting a formal proposal to the government, which would include campaigns on the advantages of working in construction and measures to make the Bolsa Família parameters more flexible.
Rules that help but don't solve anything
Since 2023, Bolsa Família has had the so-called “Protection Rule”, which allows families to continue receiving the benefit even after income increases.
This rule guarantees 50% of the regular value of the aid for up to 24 months, as long as the per capita income does not exceed half the minimum wage (R$706).
The objective is to encourage the formalization of work, but, according to experts, it is still not enough.
Laura Muller Machado, a professor at Insper and a public policy specialist, praised the role of Bolsa Família in combating poverty, but pointed out structural flaws.
“Moving from benefits to the job market is difficult. The market is uncertain and vacancies often do not offer sufficient security,” he argued.
For her, a solution would be to offer bonuses and a gradual reduction of the benefit, instead of an abrupt interruption.
The side of informal workers
A survey by the Ministry of Social Development showed that 13,5% of families receiving Bolsa Família benefits have a member with a formal employment contract.
Additionally, we bring beneficiaries were responsible for 56% of the 1,5 million formal jobs created this year.
However, many still remain in informal positions, such as gardeners, delivery men and bricklayers, making it difficult to obtain accurate data on their market share.
According to Luna, the construction sector offers attractive opportunities. He highlighted that Entry salaries in the area reach R$2.315, second only to finance and public administration.
Furthermore, good professionals, such as carpentry technicians, can earn more than R$10 per job.
The construction companies' proposal
The solution proposed by the sector is still in its initial phase, but already includes the idea of launching an awareness campaign about the advantages of working in construction.
Another point is to seek changes in the Bolsa Família rules to encourage beneficiaries to migrate to the formal market without completely losing the benefit.
Businesspeople warn that, without changes, the lack of qualified workers could generate inflation and compromise the sector's production.
Menin highlighted the gravity of the situation: “We have had difficulties with labor in the past and if we do nothing, we will have problems again.”
Coordination between government, businesspeople and experts will be essential to find a balance between maintaining social programs and promoting opportunities in the job market.
Is the flexibility of Bolsa Família the solution to resolve the labor bottleneck in the construction industry?
This problem is happening in other areas too, not just in the construction industry.
In my opinion, the shortage of labor in the construction industry is not due to social programs, but rather due to the lack of decent working conditions. It is still a very archaic model, where you see many construction sites with people working by throwing bricks into the air and lifting materials on a rope with a pulley... How can people be willing to return to work the next day? Unfortunately, it is getting worse.
Elinaldo… you are absolutely right. 👍🏾
_(Sarcasm)_
I saw that you don't understand anything about civil construction. 🫡
You must be talking about two different profiles of construction and social class, big city and countryside, middle to upper class and poorer, village/favela, both are right, the two types of constructions exist, the archaic and the opposite. I know them closely, and apparently you (both of you) and all of us too.
But he is right. Companies are stingy. With electric hoist systems and freight elevators to relieve the excess weight carried during the day.
For you to say that, you must have never carried a bucket of concrete in your life.
Someone here started by commenting on the working conditions in the construction industry and it set the tone for all the other comments, but the issue seems to be something else. Working conditions in the construction industry, in general, have been degrading for hundreds of years, but what is at stake here is the possibility of having a formal job and at the same time maintaining the Bolsa Família benefit. In the previous government, this possibility existed and, in fact, it was encouraged to increase the worker's income, information that was omitted from the news article.
Bolsonaro's Bolsa Família was electoral and temporary, it is not valid as an economic analysis
Perfect, they don't want to pay decent wages and still offer terrible working conditions.
Here in my company, only managers, technicians and engineers are involved. The workforce suffers and is whipped for 2.000 reais in the interior of Rio de Janeiro.