Politics · Brazil · 3 hrs ago
Brazil Senate vote on shorter workweek expected before election runoff
Brazil’s Senate is expected to vote before the 25 October election runoff on a proposal to end the six-days-on, one-day-off work schedule.
President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva said the timing had been discussed with Senate President Davi Alcolumbre.
The proposal would cut the maximum workweek from 44 hours to 40 and require two days off each week, with one preferably on Sunday.
It would phase in the reduction, first lowering the week to 42 hours and later to 40, without reducing pay.
The proposal has passed Brazil’s lower house and a Senate committee, but still needs approval in the full Senate.
The Senate is scheduled to hold its final discussion sessions this week, and Alcolumbre has said he will put the proposal to a vote on Wednesday.
Opposition senators tried to delay the vote until after the runoff, while Lula has challenged opponents to state whether they support the proposal.
President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva said a Senate vote on a proposal to end the six-day-on, one-day-off work schedule is scheduled before Brazil’s 25 October runoff.
The proposal would reduce the standard workweek from 44 hours to 40 hours and provide two days off, without reducing pay.
Senate President Davi Alcolumbre is expected to put the proposal to a first-round vote on 14 October.
The proposal has passed the lower house and the Senate’s Constitution and Justice Committee.
Candidate Flávio Bolsonaro backs an alternative that would pay workers by the hour, with benefits paid proportionally.
- Who
- Brazil’s Senate, with President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva saying Senate President Davi Alcolumbre agreed to schedule the vote.
- What
- A constitutional amendment to end the six-day-on, one-day-off work schedule and reduce the workweek to 40 hours.
- When
- A first-round vote is expected on 14 October, before the runoff on 25 October.
- Where
- Brazil’s Senate.
- Why
- The proposal would reduce working hours and provide two weekly days off; the article says Lula sees it as a way to gain popularity and votes.
Supporters of the proposed constitutional amendment
Flávio Bolsonaro’s alternative
Workweek and days off
Supporters of the proposed constitutional amendment
The proposal reduces the workweek from 44 hours to 40 and provides two days off each week.
Flávio Bolsonaro’s alternative
Bolsonaro backs a different model based on payment by the hour.
Pay and benefits
Supporters of the proposed constitutional amendment
The proposal says the reduction in hours cannot lead to lower wages.
Flávio Bolsonaro’s alternative
The alternative would retain benefits such as paid leave, a 13th-month salary and FGTS, paid proportionally.
The only thing the opposition can do is show whether they will have the courage to vote for or against it. That is all they will have.
What they cannot do is try to delay it to deceive the people after the elections. Now is the moment of truth.
The proposal was approved by Brazil’s lower house.
The government mobilised its Senate allies, and the first of five required discussion sessions featured speeches supporting the proposal.
The Senate’s Constitution and Justice Committee approved the proposal.
Lula said the vote had been agreed with Alcolumbre and would take place before the runoff.
Alcolumbre said he would put the proposal to a first-round vote.
Brazil’s second-round election is scheduled.
- Current workweek
- 44 hours
- Proposed workweek
- 40 hours, with two weekly days off
- First transition stage
- 42 hours a week, starting 60 days after promulgation
- Final transition stage
- 40 hours a week, 12 months after the first stage
- Expected first-round vote
- 14 October
- Runoff date
- 25 October
Sources
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