President of the TST speaks of ‘blue’ and ‘red’ judges
The president of the Superior Labor Court (TST), Luiz Philippe Vieira de Mello Filho, divided labor judges into “blue” and “red” during a speech at the closing of a judiciary event, on Friday, 1, in Brasília. The statement was interpreted on social media as a reference to the polarization between supporters of the PT government, which is symbolized by the color red, and the opposition which, in the context of the speech, would be the “blues”.
The reporter contacted the president of the TST, through his press office, and is awaiting a response.
Mello Filho spoke during the 22nd National Congress of the Labor Judiciary (Conamat), which debated the topic “Independent Labor Justice for a world in transition: sustainability, artificial intelligence and protected work”. The event brought together more than 300 participants to discuss the impact of AI on work relationships and approve theses.
Videos released on social networks show an excerpt of the speech containing the speech in which the president of the TST included himself among the “reds” who would be at the service of a “cause”. The videos only reproduce the final part of the speech lasting more than 50 minutes, containing the speech. The report had access to the full speech.
Mello Filho defends Labor justice against those who consider it an “impediment to socioeconomic development,” which he considered “legal flat-earthism.” He also defended the unions and criticized pejotização – employees who open a company to continue carrying out the same work – which he considered “a fraud”.
It was in this context that he ended his speech talking about colors. “There is no blue or red judge. I am from the time when all of us, with our different thoughts, worked for the development, strengthening and growth of the Labor Court.”
He then reinforced: “I would say that there is no blue or red. There are those who are interested, there are those who have a cause. We reds have a cause, we have no interest. And let this be very clear to those who are promoting this here in the country”, he states.
By complementing the statement, reaffirming that he has a cause, which would be the defense of the institution and vulnerable people, Mello Filho is applauded by the audience. “We have a cause (applause) and they are uncomfortable with our cause, that we are going to be there fighting all the time in defense of our institution and vulnerable people. And the Constitution gives us the power to do that. So I’m not worried about the blues, but about the reds”, he says.
The congress panels addressed sensitive topics, such as the defense of protected work and the impacts of precariousness, informality and technological transformations on labor relations. Another panel discussed the climate crisis and its direct impacts on the world of work.
Mello Filho took over the TST in September last year. In his inauguration speech, he criticized changes to labor legislation made by previous governments, such as those that would limit access to the Labor Court. “We should not be the architects of taking away the rights of those who need them most, as well as access to justice. Our role is not to legislate, and what defines the destiny of a country that calls itself democratic is the Federal Constitution. Constitutional values were pre-established by a social and political pact that must be protected in its entirety.”
