In an environment of global economic competition, firms and the State have focused strategies of competitive adjustment on the principle of labour flexibility and deregulation, and on the reduction of social expenses. In many countries, these policies meant the abandonment of full employment aims and the increase of precarious or non-regulated employment regimes. This article analyses the main political and institutional elements of labour relationship systems in Canada and Brazil, and the recent changes in the employment regimes and labour market structures in these countries. Although this study considered the specificities of each country, the research findings demonstrate that the labour market flexibility experiences in both resulted in labour rights reduction, and increased social iniquity in Canada and to deterioration of employment conditions and increase of poverty in Brazil.
Labour relationship; unions; flexibilization; iniquity; working rights