Brazil's Senate Approves 40-Hour Workweek Ahead of Presidential Runoff

In a move backed by President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, Brazil’s Senate on Wednesday approved an amendment to the constitution to reduce the country’s maximum workweek from 44 to 40 hours without a pay cut, before the presidential runoff on October 25.

Lula hopes that the approved legislation will boost his chances against Flávio Bolsonaro in the upcoming presidential runoff. The proposal passed the Senate in two rounds of voting, with 75 members voting in favour and one against.

The only senator to vote against it was former Vice President Hamilton Mourão, who served under President Jair Bolsonaro.

Millions of Brazilians currently work six days a week under a schedule known as “6x1”. The new bill would give workers two paid days off each week instead of one and cut the maximum workweek from 44 to 40 hours.

The government has been pushing for the change for months. The bill mainly targets working-class Brazilians, who have traditionally supported Lula. The changes will be introduced gradually over the next 14 months.

Once the proposal was passed, Brazil’s president celebrated it and said, “Today is a day to celebrate a historic achievement for millions of workers.”

He further added, “This means having more time to live, rest, be with family, watch your children grow up, take care of yourself, and enjoy life. Those who work so hard to build Brazil also deserve to have time to live.”

Flávio Bolsonaro, who opposed the proposal until earlier this week, voted in favour remotely while campaigning in southern Brazil.

Analysts and politicians said his allies in the Senate stopped opposing the proposal because they did not want it to hurt his chances in the close race against Lula, according to AP.

Lula Faces A Tough Fight

Brazil’s incumbent President and left-wing leader Lula is facing 11 challengers, including right-wing candidate Flávio Bolsonaro.

In the last election, held four years ago, Lula narrowly defeated Flávio’s father, Jair Bolsonaro. Flávio is now running for the right-wing Liberal Party (PL). Although he is seen as less confrontational than his father, he is seeking support from his father’s followers by promising to continue many of his policies.

Investors and prediction markets see Bolsonaro as the favourite. Since Brazil returned to democracy in 1989, no candidate who finished behind in the first round has won a run-off. However, polls suggest Lula is still close behind. A Quaest survey released on October 14