Brazil’s Senate on Thursday approved a constitutional amendment to reduce the work week from six to five days without a pay cut, likely giving President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva an advantage over Flavio Bolsonaro in the Oct. 25 presidential election runoff.
Lula is expected to promulgate a law on reducing the working week next week.
Brazil’s left-wing leader has taken a number of steps in recent days to shore up support ahead of the runoff, including further fuel tax cuts, extending existing subsidies and pledging to forgive the debts of more than 3.6 million small businesses to the federal government and others.
But the pledge to reduce the work week turned into a major promise that Lula hoped to keep before the runoff.
“6×1” reform receives massive support
The new amendment, known as the “6×1” reform, could benefit more than 37 million workers, according to the government.
“The end of 6×1 is more than a change in the working day. It is more time to live, to rest, to be with family, to watch your children grow, to take care of yourself and to enjoy life,” Lula wrote on X.
“Those who work so hard to build Brazil also deserve to live. This is a victory for workers. This is a Brazil ready to do more,” he said.
But the legislation still leaves out large numbers of people working in the underground economy, such as freelancers and delivery drivers.
Lula, a former trade unionist, worked during the year on the proposal to reduce the working week with his government.
Bolsonaro supports “6×1” reform after opposing it
Flavio Bolsonaro, a right-wing senator and eldest son of imprisoned former President Jair Bolsonaro, had long opposed the legislation. But Flavio Bolsonaro reversed course Tuesday, saying he would support the bill because it has so much support.
Many businesses opposed the bill because it would increase their costs, and Bolsonaro had previously advocated for establishing a flexible payment regime in which individuals negotiate their salaries with their employers.
He has repeatedly called the legislation election-driven.
In the first round of elections earlier this month, Bolsonaro inflicted a crushing defeat on Lula, finishing on top with 47% of the vote, although short of the 50% needed to secure an absolute majority.
The campaign in Brazil was dominated by voter frustration with street crime, the strength of evangelical churches, high corporate taxes and economic discontent.
Edited by: Sean Sinico
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