Brazil approves 40-hour working week ahead of presidential runoff

Summarised from 2 outlets · Updated 15 Oct, 04:44 · Archive

Brazil's congress has approved a constitutional amendment to cut the maximum working week to 40 hours, affecting up to 37 million workers.

Brazil's congress has approved a constitutional amendment to shorten the working week to a maximum of 40 hours. The Senate voted on Thursday with 75 senators in favour; only one voted against it. The change cuts the maximum workweek from 44 to 40 hours and bans six-day workweeks, affecting up to 37 million workers according to the government. It is expected to benefit mainly workers in retail, restaurants and hotels, many of them low-paid.

President Lula, a former trade unionist, championed the reform ahead of the presidential runoff on 25 October. He wrote on social media that 'the end of the 6x1 is more than a change in the workday. It's more time to live, rest, be with family, watch your children grow, take care of yourself, and enjoy life.' Lula is expected to sign the amendment into law next week.

Flávio Bolsonaro, a right-wing senator and son of imprisoned former president Jair Bolsonaro, initially opposed the legislation but reversed course on Tuesday, saying 'the majority of Brazilian workers' supported it and voted in favour. Only Hamilton Mourão, former vice-president to Jair Bolsonaro, voted against the amendment.

DW News notes that the legislation still leaves out many people in the shadow economy, including freelancers and delivery drivers. The amendment is one of several measures Lula has taken recently to shore up support, including fuel tax cuts, extended subsidies and pledged debt pardons for more than 3.6 million small businesses.

How it is being reported

• Brazil to shorten workweek in win for Lula ahead of runoffBrazil's Senate approved cutting the workweek from 44 to 40 hours. The move could give President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva an edge over his opponent, Flavio Bolsonaro, ahead of the October 25 runoff.DW News · 15 Oct, 04:29
• Brazil cuts work week to 40 hours in win for Lula ahead of runoffCongress approves constitutional amendment that bans six-day workweeks, which could effect up to 30 million Brazil’s congress has approved a constitutional amendment to shorten the working week to a maximum of 40 hours, a move that could affect 30 million workers and that will hand a political victory to the leftist president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva ahead of the presidential runoff in under two weeks. In an attempt to overturn the first-round lead secured by his opponent, far-right senator Flávio Bolsonaro, Lula has strongly championed the amendment, which will give some workers an extra…The Guardian · 15 Oct, 03:45

In this story: Brazil · Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva · Flávio Bolsonaro · Jair Bolsonaro · Hamilton Mourão

This summary was written by AI from the headlines and standfirsts above, and states as fact only what at least two outlets report. How we use AI · Report a problem