This study analyzes the institutional and organizational environment of the labor market of the sugar alcohol sector, and presents its social indicators for the period 1992-2005. Two databases were used: RAIS (Administrative Registers of the Ministry of Work and Labor) and PNADs (National Research for Sample of Domiciles). It was observed in the sugar cane production a reduction of 23% of the number of employees between 1992 and 2005, in despite of the growth of 54.6% in the sugar cane production; 27.1% of the total 519.917 employees of the sugar cane sector are informal; the education level of the sugar cane employees is still low: in 2005, 70% had up to 4 years of schooling and 29% were illiterate (PNAD). According to RAIS database, average monthly income1 for the year of 2005 was US$ 330.35 in the alcohol industry; US$ 326.94 for the sugar mill industry and US$ 302.72 for the agricultural employees.
labor market; sugar cane agro-system; institutional environment; organizational environment
