A justiça do trabalho

Abstract

The paper looks to highlight the specific nature of Labor Justice in Brazil, as well as the particular social profile of labor judges. Our analysis is based on the results of the research project "A history of labor law and labor rights in Brazil,' focused on reconstructing the history of this legal institution, mainly through interviews with social actors who played a central role in its construction and consolidation. The extensive information obtained from the 'Labor judge profile' survey also allowed us to identify the sociological profile of the judges and record their opinions about their professional career and the role played by Labor Courts in Brazilian society. Our conclusions reveal the continuance of a strong anti-liberal logic of social protection by the State, still present in the institution and the ethos of its agents, and highlight the challenges these have to face in terms of social inequality, the democratic political order and neo-liberal economic pressures.