The Brazilian Senate has approved a constitutional amendment that abolishes the 6x1 regime and reduces the maximum workweek from 44 to 40 hours without pay cut. Under this regime, employees work six days and rest one, and after the change, they will receive two paid days off per week.
The amendment was adopted with 75 votes “in favor“ and one “against“ in both votes. The only senator who spoke out against the text was Hamilton Moran, former vice president of Jair Bolsonaro. The Chamber of Deputies had already approved the same text in May.
The change will be introduced gradually
The new rules will not come into effect immediately. After the amendment is promulgated, a 60-day period will expire, after which the maximum working week will be reduced from 44 to 42 hours. The final 40 hours will be reached 14 months later.
According to various estimates, the changes could affect between 26.8 and 30 million workers. About 16 million Brazilians currently work under the 6x1 regime. Employees in the trade, restaurant and hotel sectors, where the six-day work week is widespread, are expected to be most affected.
Lula receives political dividend before the runoff
President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has long supported the change and made it a major focus of his re-election campaign. After the vote, he said that the end of the 6x1 regime means “more time for life, rest, family, self-care and joy of life“.
The decision was made just days before the presidential runoff on October 25. In the first round, Flavio Bolsonaro received about 47% of the vote, and Lula - about 45%. Recent polls showed a minimal difference between the two candidates - 51% support for Bolsonaro versus 49% for Lula.
Flavio Bolsonaro initially opposed the change and warned of possible consequences for business and employment. He changed his position before the vote and supported the amendment remotely while campaigning in the south of the country. The senator continues to advocate for an alternative model where working hours are negotiated more flexibly according to the hours worked.
Workers expect a second day off
For people who work the 6x1 regime, the change means an extra day for rest, family commitments and personal needs. In front of the “Guardian“, 50-year-old saleswoman Lilian Cristo dos Santos from El Salvador tells that with one day off she does not have time to go to the doctor, to the beach or to study, because she has to clean the house and take care of her family.
The amendment will be finally implemented after the end of the transition period. This means that the political effect of the decision will be felt before the actual introduction of the 40-hour week.
Sources: theguardian.com, apnews.com, agenciabrasil.ebc.com.br