The Superior Labour Court (TST) ruled on 24 September that the nationwide strike at Correios, Brazil’s state-owned postal operator, was legal but ordered employees to resume work immediately from 25 September. The walk-out, which began on 10 September, had disrupted domestic and international mail, delaying passport returns from several foreign consulates and holding up courier deliveries of visa petition originals. Under the decision, days not worked will have to be compensated but will not be docked. The Court urged Correios management and the union to resume collective-bargaining talks within ten days. During the stoppage, private express carriers experienced parcel backlogs of up to 40 percent, according to the Brazilian Association of International Couriers; many embassies in Brasília switched temporarily to in-person document pick-up. With operations restarting, travellers waiting for renewed passports or document legalisations should see normal service levels in roughly one week, say logistics consultants. Companies with impending assignee start dates are advised to track shipment numbers closely and, where possible, use premium express channels until volumes stabilise. The episode highlights the fragility of single-provider logistics ecosystems in immigration workflows. Mobility managers are encouraged to build redundancy into document logistics—maintaining standing accounts with at least two carriers—and to communicate early with consular posts about alternative collection arrangements in the event of future labour disputes. Correios stated that it is investing R$180 million in automation to reduce strike-related vulnerabilities, including secure lockers at airport cargo terminals dedicated to diplomatic pouch exchanges.
Source: Agência Brasil
