Petrobras Strike Highlights the Ongoing Home Office vs. In-Person Work Debate

Remote work has also become a key issue in labor disputes. In late March, the National Federation of Oil Workers (FNP) and the Unified Federation of Oil Workers (FUP) announced a strike against Petrobras CEO Magda Chambriard. Their demands include profit-sharing payments (PLR), benefits for retirees, and negotiations over remote work policies.

Petrobras dominates the office market in Rio de Janeiro, where it is the largest tenant, occupying 189,400 m²—more than 100,000 m² above the Banco do Brasil, the second-largest tenant with 73,000 m².

In an interview with REsource, Eduardo Henrique, FNP’s general secretary, stated that Petrobras has not provided any justification for ending remote work. He suggested that pressure from investors or the real estate sector, which is working to revitalize downtown Rio, could be influencing the decision.

"There was no justification. When they first tried to enforce this, the reasoning was vague and quickly dismissed. Now, speculation suggests it might be due to executives resistant to change or pressure from the real estate sector tied to the city's revitalization efforts. But the company has given no official explanation."

Petrobras did not respond to REsource’s inquiries.

Indeed, downtown Rio de Janeiro is undergoing a revitalization process, driven by the Reviver Centro program, which aims to redevelop the area through urban, cultural, social, and economic improvements.

Thiago Alves, CEO of IWG Brazil (Regus and Spaces) and author of Nem Home, Nem Office: o Futuro do Trabalho é Híbrido (Neither Home Nor Office: The Future of Work is Hybrid), believes the conflict between employers and employees can only be resolved through communication.

“The truth is, many people still associate physical presence with productivity. That’s a legacy from an older model that made sense in a different era, with a different kind of work. Today, we’ve seen firsthand that it’s possible to deliver a lot — and in many cases, even more — working from home or wherever you are. What’s needed is clear goals, trust, and autonomy,” he says.

Alves, who leads the shared office brands Regus and Spaces, also stresses that the value of in-person interaction can’t be ignored. He advocates for open dialogue and believes companies must find a model that works for both sides.

“If there’s conflict, the answer isn’t to impose — it’s to build together. Because at the end of the day, no one wants to work less — we just want to work better,” he concludes.