Government unlikely to push or expend political capital on approval
11/13/2024
Congressman Hugo Motta, the frontrunner to lead Brazil’s Lower House starting February, expressed concern on Tuesday regarding the constitutional amendment proposal (PEC) that seeks to end the six-day workweek followed by one day off (6×1). He emphasized the need to include business leaders in the discussions within the legislative house.
“I am very concerned, for instance, about this PEC recently introduced, the 6×1. A significant movement has emerged on social media supporting the PEC, which is a topic we need to discuss, but we must not listen to only one side,” Mr. Motta stated during a meeting with the Parliamentary Front for Entrepreneurship (FPE).
Mr. Motta stressed the importance of including employers in the debate to assess the proposal’s impacts. “We must also hear from those who employ; we need to consider both sides to avoid advancing an agenda potentially harmful to the country,” he said.
The initiative, led by Congresswoman Erika Hilton, has gained traction on social media recently. She is gathering signatures for her proposal on the subject.
The proposal aims to amend the Federal Constitution to reduce the workweek from 44 hours to 36 hours, with a maximum of four days a week and eight hours per day. Therefore, it is more comprehensive than just ending the 6×1 work schedule.
This move has sparked reactions from the entrepreneurial sector caucus, arguing that the constitutional change would increase costs, making services or goods more expensive.
Despite some support from the Lula administration, the government is not expected to make a strong effort or use political capital to push for the proposal’s approval.
Advisors to President Lula perceive that, given the current Congress composition, the proposal has almost no chance of progressing. However, the discussion is seen as beneficial for the government, as it could put the opposition in an uncomfortable position of blocking a bill ostensibly beneficial to workers.
Skepticism remains about the proposal’s advancement even within the Constitution and Justice Committee (CCJ), the first stage of the legislative process.
Vice President Geraldo Alckmin remarked that work schedule reduction “is a global trend.” He noted, however, that the topic has not been discussed within the government, leaving the debate to society and Parliament. “This hasn’t been discussed yet. But I think it’s a global trend. As technology advances, you can do more with fewer people, potentially reducing work hours. So, it’s a debate for society and Parliament.”
Mr. Motta cautioned against “extremism” in the debate. “I believe the Lower House cannot become a place where debates are hindered by personal or verbal attacks, which do not contribute to the discussion. It’s indeed the house where we can defend our viewpoints.”
Another PEC on the same topic, authored by Congressman Reginaldo Lopes, has been in the Lower House since 2019 without progress. Last year, the CCJ rejected its discussion and approved its removal from the agenda by 30 votes to 25.
Mr. Lopes’s proposal reduces the workweek to 36 hours without specifying the maximum number of days, while Ms. Hilton’s sets a four-day weekly limit.
In President Lula’s first year in office, the Workers’ Party took control of the committee, and the CCJ president, Congressman Rui Falcão, appointed Tarcísio Motta as the rapporteur. They attempted to schedule a favorable report in October 2023, but a motion by Congressman Gilson Marques removed the proposal from the agenda by a 30-25 vote.
Support for the PEC’s discussion was mainly limited to left-wing parties and the Social Democratic Party (PSD). Other parties, such as Liberal Party (PL), Progressive Party (PP), Brazil Union, and the Republicans, voted to remove the proposal from discussion, and the matter has not returned to the agenda.
Tarcísio Motta, who served as the rapporteur, left the CCJ, leaving the PEC without a rapporteur since. The committee is now led by Caroline de Toni, from the opposition.
Speaking to Valor, Mr. Lopes mentioned he would talk with the committee’s chair to request the appointment of a new rapporteur and suggested Congressman Alencar Santana Braga for the role.
Congressman Kim Kataguiri, who voted to remove the PEC from the agenda last year, released a video expressing support for ending the 6×1 workweek but opposing the PEC. “This is a circus, a farce, a setup; it’s using this for personal promotion, selling an illusion,” he criticized.
In a statement, Congresswoman Hilton said she learned of the 2019 PEC after starting to collect signatures for her proposal. She collaborated with Movimento Vida Além do Trabalho (Movement Life Beyond Work) to draft the text and strategy, aiming to provoke Parliament on the issue and drive “concrete advances for the working world.”
*By Raphael Di Cunto, Marcelo Ribeiro, Fabio Murakawa, Valor — Brasília
Source: Valor International