ECNETNews reports that the Brazilian Bar Association in Rio de Janeiro (OAB-RJ) has made headlines after the dismissal of 121 employees at the beginning of January, sparking a significant crisis within the organization. The former employees have raised concerns with the Public Ministry of Labor (MPT), alleging that the mass layoffs are politically motivated following the election of the new president, Ana Tereza Basilio.
Ana Tereza Basilio has stated that the layoffs are part of a campaign promise aimed at administrative reform within the organization. This decision, she explained, is necessary to “balance expenses and revenue” within the section.
“This decision is deeply saddening as these are valuable people, dedicated individuals who have served OAB for many years. However, we face an urgent need for cost reduction, having lost the transfer of judicial costs, a benefit from CAARJ, and we must also balance our revenues and expenses,” said Ana Tereza during the announcement of the layoffs.
The OAB estimates that the layoffs will lead to annual savings of R$ 20 million. Among those affected, 18 employees were linked to CAARJ, with six from the Barra da Tijuca branch and the remainder from the organization’s central office.
“Our goal is to make OAB-RJ an example of efficient management, enhancing access for lawyers to the services provided by the institution,” the president stated.
The decision to terminate employees has faced criticism from the Workers’ Defense Movement of OAB-RJ and the Union of Professional Regulatory Authorities and Related Entities (Sinsafispro), which represents the affected employees.
Professor Paulo Henrique Lima from the Federal Fluminense University expressed that the OAB-RJ has not provided any study to substantiate the necessity for these layoffs or to demonstrate that they could not have been implemented gradually.
“This series of decisions reveals ongoing mistakes and irregularities from the current administration. As advocates for social rights and human rights, we oppose these layoffs. It is clear that no study has supported the need for these terminations, nor has it been shown that they could not have been done incrementally if necessary,” he stated.
Sinsafispro reported that while a meeting took place between the union and OAB on January 13, no proposals for the reallocation of the laid-off staff were put forward, nor was there any presentation made to justify the urgent financial need for these decisions.
“No reallocation proposals were made before the layoffs, and the union has not seen any market study showing that certain positions were paid excessively compared to market rates, especially since the OAB-RJ set those salaries. We have not witnessed the so-called objective criteria, as many of those dismissed were on lower salaries. The announcement of continued administrative reform suggests that further mass layoffs are anticipated,” the union stated in a release.
Ana Tereza Basilio is noted as the first woman elected to lead OAB-RJ in its 94-year history, with her term running from 2025 to 2027.
Advocates Protest Against Potential New Layoffs
In a demonstration on the afternoon of January 4, advocates from the 12th Subsection of OAB-RJ protested against the possibility of another wave of layoffs. This subsection covers municipalities including Campos, São João da Barra, São Francisco de Itabapoana, Cardoso, and Italva.
Advocate Laura Manhães, a member of the 12th Subsection, released a video criticizing the layoffs.
“We, in the 12th Subsection, were equally taken aback by the potential layoffs. We have staff members who have been dedicated to serving the Casa do Advogado for many years. Our protest reflects what is occurring in Rio, showing our support for our dedicated employees. We will continue fighting,” she stated.
In a statement, Mariana Lontra Costa, president of the 12th Subsection, clarified that no layoffs had occurred within their subsection to date.
“The hiring and firing of staff are the responsibility of the OAB-RJ. The subsections do not have authority over these matters. The 12th Subsection of OAB-RJ has been closely monitoring the situation and has already held discussions with the leadership in Rio to address the specific needs of our subsection to mitigate the negative impact of the Administrative Reform. So far, there have been no layoffs within the 12th Subsection,” she stated.
