The (Superior Labor Court) unanimously decided to cancel the contract for the construction of one for its 27 ministers.
According to the court, the decision was made because there was no longer “a need to use the space, as well as the possibility of canceling the signed contract, without prejudice to the administration”.
The work plan and contracting of services were revealed by Sheet in August.
The decision to cancel the contract was signed by the president of the TST, minister, who took charge of the court in September with a speech about cost containment.
The cancellation of the contract comes after the TST was criticized for the increase in frills and privileges. Vieira de Mello told UOL that the construction of a VIP room for the use of his ministers followed what other higher courts did.
“At that time, the court was simply following the path of other courts. But yesterday the court decided to terminate the VIP room contract. So, for us, it is a closed matter,” he said.
“It was a unanimous decision by the court. It was unanimous when it was made and it was unanimous now [no encerramento do contrato]. We understand that really, even due to disuse, it would not be viable. For us, it wouldn’t be necessary. I consider it a turning point,” he added.
The contract signed by TST provided for the payment of more than R$1.5 million over two years to build and maintain a VIP lounge at Brasília airport. Ministers would still have the right to personal assistance by airport employees and a private car to travel to the plane.
The objective, said the court, was to protect the safety of ministers and avoid the “approach of inconvenient people”.
“The way in which authorities boarding and disembarking by air were carried out led to the approach of malicious or inconvenient individuals, which significantly increased the avoidable risks for these authorities”, explained the TST in a note at the time.
According to the contract, the space would be “intended, solely and exclusively, to support the boarding processes of the authorities of the Superior Labor Court” at the airport. The agreement was valid for two years, until April 2027.
The space was rented for R$30,000 per month, plus R$2,639.70 with apportionment of airport expenses, according to the contract. The place is 44 square meters, has granite floors and plaster walls, with a pantry and exclusive bathrooms.
To build the structure that will serve the ministers, the TST hired, without bidding, the same company that built the three VIP lounges for the private public at Brasília airport. The contract explicitly prevents this company from providing information about the work. The court claimed that the bidding exemption occurred for the amount authorized by law, and that it consulted three companies.
Vieira de Mello assumed the presidency of the TST on September 25th. Days before being sworn in, the minister advocated that the court reduce expenses and contain the spread of judiciary abuse.
“Is the judge’s role so difficult nowadays that there’s something extra every time?” he said, during a session of the Superior Council of Labor Justice.
The collegiate analyzed a request from the National Association of Labor Court Magistrates for the payment of compensatory leave for substitute judges, with retroactive values for the last ten years.
“That we have to be well paid, that’s fine. But who is earning poorly? That’s the question. It’s not what I see and I don’t even have to complain about anything. But we need to be cautious. The recipient of all this is society, the jurisdiction. We need to be a little aware of what we are postulating and discussing here”, he said.
