Caixa Strike Ends After 19 Days as Court Orders Return

Brazil · Economy

Updated 1 time · Latest: 5 October 2026

Brazil’s Superior Labour Court ended the Caixa Econômica Federal strike on 29 September, 19 days after staff walked out. Branches of the state bank were due to reopen by 30 September, and housing-loan files that sat untouched can move again.

How the Strike at Brazil’s Biggest Public Lender Ended

The strike began at midnight on Thursday, 10 September 2026, after a week of assemblies across Brazil. Workers in most union bases voted to reject Caixa’s offer for renewing the bank’s specific collective agreement.

The CONTEC confederation formalised the strike notice under Law 7,783 of 1989, and the Executive Coordination of Caixa employees said more than 90% of union bases rejected the offer.

Talks stalled on the health plan. On 17 September the bank proposed raising the ceiling on its own contribution to Saúde Caixa from 6.5% to 9% of payroll from 2027, according to the São Paulo bank workers’ union. Workers voted that down in a virtual assembly on 21 September, with 59.3% against, the São Paulo bank workers’ union said.

The case then went to the TST. On 25 September the rapporteur, Justice Maurício Godinho Delgado, ordered at least 60% of staff to stay at work. On 29 September the court’s collective-disputes section ruled the strike was not abusive, as the bank had argued, and told staff to return.

What the Court Decided

The ruling replaces a negotiated agreement. It sets a raise of 100% of the INPC plus 0.6%. The court dropped the fine and ordered an immediate return to work. Days not worked are not deducted if staff make them up within 180 days.

On the health plan, the court kept the rules of the 2024–26 agreement, including the 3.5% staff contribution and the 6.5% bank ceiling, and raised plan values by the INPC plus 0.6%. A union source quoted by Sindicato dos Bancários said the outcome makes the plan more expensive for staff. The full judgment is yet to be published, so the exact cost split is still unconfirmed.

A court-set ruling carries less legal force than a signed agreement, a union leader told the press. That is why the health plan is likely to return to the table.

Banco do Brasil: A Partial Walkout

At Banco do Brasil the walkout was partial: some union bases joined the strike while others kept talking, and in São Paulo BB workers approved their bank-specific agreement and stayed at work. Banco do Brasil later settled, while Caixa stayed out until the court ruled (see our report on the settlement).

Home Loans Were in the Firing Line

Caixa originates a large share of Brazilian mortgages, including subsidised Minha Casa, Minha Vida contracts. A strike delays every step that still needs bank staff: document analysis, credit approval, contract signing and the release of funds to sellers.

Certificates and tax slips can expire while a file sits untouched. Real-estate lawyers Stéfano Ferri and Daniel Vicentini told Exame that buyers should document every step and formally notify sellers that completion depends on the bank. In the 31-day bank strike of 2016, housing-credit concessions fell 24.2% in a single month.

Pix, the Caixa app, internet banking, ATMs and lottery outlets kept running during the strike, because strike law requires minimum teams for essential clearing services.

What It Means for You

If you are buying or financing a home in Brazil through Caixa, expect queues while the backlog clears. Check your certificates and contract deadlines, and keep written records of any delay. If you receive federal benefits or FGTS (the severance fund) payments, in-person service is back, though the app remains the faster route. Brazil’s record household debt, with delinquency at 29.9% in August according to the CNC retailers’ confederation, makes any new disruption costly for Caixa’s low-income clients.

What Is Not Known

It is not yet clear how fast delayed mortgage approvals will clear, or whether the unions will challenge the health-plan terms. Caixa has not published a figure for the backlog. Watch for the published judgment and for new assemblies on Saúde Caixa.

Latest: Caixa Strike Ends as Labour Court Orders Staff Back.

Background: Brazil: Split Payment, the World’s Broadest Instant Tax Collection, Will Only Be Mandatory in 2028.

Background: Fintechs and Digital Banks in Brazil 2026: Market Guide.

Background: Brazil Inflation Rate 2026: IPCA, Selic and What’s Next.

More: Brazil news, every day from The Rio Times.

The big picture: Brazil explained — economy, politics, society and daily life in one read.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the Caixa strike over?

Yes. The Superior Labour Court (TST) ended the national strike on 29 September 2026, 19 days after it began on 10 September. It ruled the strike was not abusive and ordered staff back at work immediately, and by Wednesday, 30 September at the latest.

Can I still use Pix, the Caixa app and ATMs?

Yes. Pix, banking apps, internet banking and ATMs worked throughout, and lottery outlets and Caixa Aqui correspondents stayed open. Branches resumed in-person service from 30 September.

Will the strike delay my mortgage?

It may have. Document analysis, credit approval, signing and disbursement depend on Caixa staff, so files can lag while the backlog clears. Document every step and notify sellers in writing. In the 31-day bank strike of 2016, housing-credit concessions fell 24.2% in one month.

What did the court decide on pay?

The ruling sets a raise of the INPC inflation index plus 0.6%, effective from 1 September 2026. Days not worked are not deducted if staff make them up within 180 days.

What happens to the Saúde Caixa health plan?

The court kept the rules of the 2024–26 agreement, including the 3.5% staff contribution and the 6.5% bank ceiling. Unions say the outcome raises costs for staff. The full judgment is not yet published, so the exact split is unconfirmed.

Connected Coverage

Brazil’s economy is slowing under record rates — and now its biggest public bank is on strike.

Brazil Bank Workers Strike From 10 September 2026

Brazil Services Sector Stalls in July as High Rates Bite

Brazil Opens Bank Accounts to Foreigners Through the CPF Tax Number

Business Brazil Coverage on The Rio Times