Trade unionism and foreign policy under Lula´s government: the position face to the brazilian capital internationalization
he efforts in this paper are to contribute to the analysis of the political economy related to the internationalization process of Brazilian companies during the Lula administration (2003 – 2010). We will seek to understand the positioning of the trade union movement in relation to this scenario. During this period, there was an expansion of Brazilian foreign direct investment (IEDB, in Portuguese), as a result of a strategic policy of the PT government, involved in the Brazilian foreign policy (PEB, in Portuguese), to form large Brazilian transnational companies capable of positioning themselves competitively internationally. The National Bank for Economic and Social Development (BNDES), Brazil’s main state funding agency, played a key role in this process as it actively participated in the development of mergers, acquisitions and infrastructure projects. The policy of internationalization of companies was largely guided by demands of hegemonic faction within a powerless bloc – the large internal bourgeoisie. We wonder how the trade union movement – one of the main bases of government – stands in this regard. Would they have supported this policy in the name of GDP growth and strengthening integration or through a threat to national jobs? About this point, how did union centers converge or diverge?