[Brazil] Committee passes civil service reform bill to trim payroll growth

Legislation intended to reduce the size of the Brazilian state and trim the growth of public payrolls cleared the committee stage in the lower chamber of Congress on September 23, in a significant step forward for the government's reform agenda, Reuters reports.

Despite opposition objections, the measure amends the South American country's constitution to loosen guarantees for public servants, toughening performance criteria and allowing the contracting of temporary employees for up to 10 years.

Because it is a constitutional amendment, it will reportedly require three-fifths of the votes in the plenary, or 308 of its 513 members. However, lawmakers are optimistic the legislation will find the needed support because of the burden of government payrolls on its budget deficit.

The main text passed by a special congressional committee makes it easier to open administrative processes against employees with unsatisfactory performances and to eliminate obsolete positions, a provision fiercely opposed by civil servant labour unions.

"We are proud to back this reform that will modernise our public services," said Congressman Marcel Van Hattem of the centre-right Novo Party, "we just have to reform the state."

Legislation intended to reduce the size of the Brazilian state and trim the growth of public payrolls cleared the committee stage in the lower chamber of Congress on September 23, in a significant step forward for the government's reform agenda, Reuters reports.

Despite opposition objections, the measure amends the South American country's constitution to loosen guarantees for public servants, toughening performance criteria and allowing the contracting of temporary employees for up to 10 years.

Because it is a constitutional amendment, it will reportedly require three-fifths of the votes in the plenary, or 308 of its 513 members. However, lawmakers are optimistic the legislation will find the needed support because of the burden of government payrolls on its budget deficit.

The main text passed by a special congressional committee makes it easier to open administrative processes against employees with unsatisfactory performances and to eliminate obsolete positions, a provision fiercely opposed by civil servant labour unions.

"We are proud to back this reform that will modernise our public services," said Congressman Marcel Van Hattem of the centre-right Novo Party, "we just have to reform the state."