15/05/2026
The packed auditorium in Caxias do Sul left no doubt: the future of labor relations is a priority for Rio Grande do Sul’s industry. The 1st Serra Gaúcha Labor Symposium, promoted by Simecs in partnership with Dupont Spiller Fadanelli Advogados, marked an important moment of dialogue, bringing together more than 200 participants at Hotel Intercity.
For Simecs president Paulo Scopel, the event was born from the need for unity in times of profound change. During his opening remarks, Scopel emphasized that “balanced relationships generate development, strengthen companies, and value people,” reinforcing that the strength of local industry depends directly on responsible negotiations and legal certainty.
The morning began with an intellectual provocation by Roberto Motta, commentator for Jovem Pan. In a lecture focused on global productivity, Motta contrasted Brazil’s state-protection model with foreign agility. He argued that technology is an irreversible path and that the focus should be on value creation.
“The future has an impressive characteristic: it arrives without warning,” Motta warned, criticizing the tendency of Brazilian politicians to emphasize rights that often overshadow the importance of fundamental rights such as freedom and property.
In the first panel, the debate moved to the “factory floor” through the perspectives of Clovis Tramontina and Daniel Randon, moderated by Caio Doi. While questioning how to reconcile economic transformation with job preservation, Caio highlighted the challenge of ensuring innovation and social protection advance at the same pace.
The answer came from decades of leadership experience. Clovis Tramontina recalled that business evolution must follow the culture of its time without losing its human essence. For him, entrepreneurs carry an ethical responsibility that goes beyond contracts: “We buy people’s working hours and must return workers home better than when they entered the company,” he stated, earning applause from the audience.
Complementing the industrial perspective, Daniel Randon demystified fears of machines replacing people. For the Randoncorp leader, automation is a tool for dignity and competitiveness. “Automation is not about replacing people, but transforming work; human analytical intelligence will never be replaced,” Randon explained, stressing that investment in technology is what allows Serra Gaúcha’s industry to compete with global giants such as China.
The second segment brought the Judiciary’s perspective to the stage. The discussion was moderated by attorney Ricardo Abel Guarnieri, from Dupont Spiller Fadanelli Advogados, who celebrated the sector’s engagement. “Seeing this auditorium full is proof that this debate is assertive, relevant, and necessary for all of us,” Guarnieri commented while introducing the judges.
Douglas Alencar, Minister of Brazil’s Superior Labor Court (TST), delivered a technical and precise analysis of the importance of respecting contracts and collective bargaining agreements. Alencar stressed that the Judiciary must act predictably in order not to discourage investments. “Without legal certainty, there are no investments; it is necessary to restore the seriousness of access to the Judiciary,” the Minister argued, reminding the audience that employment relationships are essentially contractual relationships that must follow clear rules.
Judge Francisco Rossal de Araújo, from the Regional Labor Court of the 4th Region (TRT4), closed the symposium with a profound reflection on the economic impacts of legislative changes, such as the debate surrounding the 6x1 work schedule. Rossal warned that complex issues do not accept simplistic solutions and that every change in labor factors affects the cost of all goods and services in the economy.
“Difficult issues require difficult solutions, and to face adversity with serenity, the only things left to us are hope and dialogue,” the judge reflected, linking shorter working hours to the urgent need for productivity gains and education.
The event also featured Judge Celso Peel, who presented the new Brazilian Academy of Infrastructure Law.
The first symposium concluded not only with answers, but with the commitment that, in Serra Gaúcha, dialogue between those who judge and those who produce will continue to be the foundation of regional growth.
