Brazil’s App Delivery Workers Break With the Lula Government Over Gig Rules

Politics · Brazil

Brazil’s app delivery workers have soured on the Lula government, with leaders openly breaking with the administration over a stalled regulation of gig work that has satisfied neither the couriers nor the platforms.

A Constituency the Government Has Lost

App delivery workers were once seen as a natural constituency for the left. Now their leaders are openly at odds with the Lula government, a striking political fracture.

The rupture comes despite regulation efforts and subsidized credit aimed at the sector, which the IBGE puts at around 1.7 million people. Good intentions have not translated into support.

Why the Regulation Stalled

The central bill has stalled in the Chamber of Deputies, opposed from different directions by companies and by workers themselves. A proposed minimum of R$10 per delivery became a flashpoint.

Couriers argue the debate fixated on per-trip rates and pension (INSS) contributions while sidelining bigger issues. They point to social protection, a real minimum income and working hours as the gaps.

A Divided Government

The administration is not united on how to proceed. Minister Guilherme Boulos backs a minimum hourly rate, while Labor Minister Luiz Marinho favors a formal-employment model based on the CLT labor code.

That internal split has muddied the government’s message to a wary category. Worker leaders, including the activist Paulo Galo, a former ally of Boulos, have turned sharply critical.

Why It Matters

With 1.7 million workers and a loud online presence, couriers are a meaningful political bloc heading into 2026. Their break with the government is a warning sign for a president seeking reelection.

For the platforms, the impasse prolongs regulatory uncertainty over labor costs. For the workers, it leaves core protections unresolved as the political calendar tightens.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why are Brazil’s app delivery workers at odds with the Lula government?

Courier leaders say the government’s stalled gig-work regulation focused on per-trip pay and pension contributions while ignoring broader protections, and they have publicly broken with the administration.

What is the sticking point in the regulation?

A bill stalled in the Chamber of Deputies over a proposed minimum of R$10 per delivery, with resistance from both companies and workers.

Is the government united on the issue?

No. Minister Guilherme Boulos favors a minimum hourly rate, while Labor Minister Luiz Marinho backs a formal-employment (CLT) model.

Sources

• Gazeta do Povo
• Gazeta do Povo (split)