Senate Postpones Vote on 6x1 Work Scale PEC Amid Political Tension

The Brazilian Senate has postponed the final vote on a Proposed Amendment to the Constitution (PEC) that would end the 6x1 work scale, moving the deliberation to after the first round of the presidential election on October 4. Although the proposal was approved by the Constitution and Justice Commission (CCJ) on Wednesday, Senate President Davi Alcolumbre did not include the measure on the plenary agenda for the current week. The government had pressured for a vote before the first round, but Alcolumbre cited resistance from opposition senators and a wing of the centrão as reasons for the delay.

President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva criticized the delay on social media, blaming the opposition and specifically the campaign coordinator for his opponent, Flávio Bolsonaro. Lula argued that the opposition is trying to block a conquest that ensures an extra day of rest without salary reduction, while the opposition claims the measure could cause economic instability. Senator Randolfe Rodrigues, the government leader in Congress, stated that the decision not to vote now was partly due to a lack of guaranteed votes in the plenary, which would make a defeat risky.

In the CCJ, the proposal passed symbolically. Four senators registered votes against it: Rogério Marinho, Jaime Bagattoli, Hamilton Mourão, and Tereza Cristina. Relator Omar Aziz rejected 36 amendments to avoid sending the text back to the Chamber of Deputies, which would further delay the process. The proposed changes include reducing the maximum weekly workload from 44 to 40 hours and guaranteeing two days of weekly rest, with a transition period of two months to 42 hours and one year to 40 hours.

Government representatives, including Minister José Guimarães, expressed hope for a last minute vote, but most political analysts expect the matter to be decided between the first and second rounds of the election. The government is now focusing on maintaining a positive relationship with Alcolumbre to ensure the PEC is passed by the second round on October 25.