A new study by the labour think-tank DIEESE, released on 22 April, registers 1,006 strikes across Brazil in 2025—up 14 % on the previous year—with the sharpest increases seen in private-sector transport, tourism and hospitality. Although the report is retrospective, its publication triggers immediate concern among mobility coordinators because many collective-bargaining agreements expire in May-June, raising the probability of fresh work stoppages in the coming weeks. Transport workers accounted for almost a quarter of all private-sector strikes, primarily over unpaid wages, meal allowances and unsafe scheduling. Airline-catering staff at São Paulo/Guarulhos walked out twice in November, disrupting international departures; inter-state bus drivers in the Northeast staged rolling 24-hour stoppages over fuel-cost pass-throughs; and airport ground handlers in Recife carried out a 48-hour ‘operation turtle’, slowing baggage delivery to a crawl.
Paradoxically, the strike wave comes amid strong macro-economic data: unemployment fell to 5.6 % in 2025 and GDP grew 2.3 %. Economists say tighter labour markets embolden unions, and the tourism rebound means service-sector employers feel greater pressure to keep operations running—giving workers leverage.
For businesses, the numbers are a prompt to revisit contingency plans. Mobility teams should bake extra lay-over time into domestic connections, monitor local media for industrial-action notices (which unions must file 72 hours in advance), and ensure that assignment contracts include per-diem flexibility in case of delays.
![Transport and Tourism Strikes Surge 14 % as Brazilian Economy Recovers]()
Amid such operational uncertainties, companies can at least streamline entry formalities. VisaHQ’s online platform (https://www.visahq.com/brazil/) helps travellers, project teams and last-minute replacements secure Brazilian visas and document renewals swiftly, offering live status tracking that lets mobility managers pivot itineraries without bureaucratic bottlenecks.
Companies hosting regional conferences in Brazil over the southern-winter peak may also wish to negotiate force-majeure clauses with venues and DMCs.
On the policy front, the Ministry of Labour has hinted at fast-tracking a mediation bill that would oblige essential-service unions to maintain a 70 % minimum service level—akin to EU standards. Until such safeguards exist, however, corporates should expect sporadic disruptions to remain a fact of life in Brazil’s otherwise resurgent travel ecosystem.
Paradoxically, the strike wave comes amid strong macro-economic data: unemployment fell to 5.6 % in 2025 and GDP grew 2.3 %. Economists say tighter labour markets embolden unions, and the tourism rebound means service-sector employers feel greater pressure to keep operations running—giving workers leverage.
For businesses, the numbers are a prompt to revisit contingency plans. Mobility teams should bake extra lay-over time into domestic connections, monitor local media for industrial-action notices (which unions must file 72 hours in advance), and ensure that assignment contracts include per-diem flexibility in case of delays.
Amid such operational uncertainties, companies can at least streamline entry formalities. VisaHQ’s online platform (https://www.visahq.com/brazil/) helps travellers, project teams and last-minute replacements secure Brazilian visas and document renewals swiftly, offering live status tracking that lets mobility managers pivot itineraries without bureaucratic bottlenecks.
Companies hosting regional conferences in Brazil over the southern-winter peak may also wish to negotiate force-majeure clauses with venues and DMCs.
On the policy front, the Ministry of Labour has hinted at fast-tracking a mediation bill that would oblige essential-service unions to maintain a 70 % minimum service level—akin to EU standards. Until such safeguards exist, however, corporates should expect sporadic disruptions to remain a fact of life in Brazil’s otherwise resurgent travel ecosystem.
