SAO PAULO — Brazil’s lower house of Congress approved a landmark constitutional amendment Wednesday establishing a 40-hour, five-day workweek — ending the country’s long-standing six-day work culture and delivering a major political win for President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva ahead of October’s presidential elections.
The amendment, sponsored by Lula and passed after months of intense debate, eliminates Brazil’s mandatory six-day workweek and guarantees two consecutive 24-hour rest days, preferably Saturdays and Sundays, for at least 37 million Brazilian workers without any reduction in pay.
“People who have this workweek from Monday to Saturday are the ones that have to work the hardest and are paid the least,” said Congressman Paulo Pimenta, the government’s floor leader, during the vote. “We need to be brave and do justice.”
The proposal enjoys broad public support, with polls showing Brazilians overwhelmingly favor the change. Many opposition lawmakers crossed party lines to back it under pressure from constituents, though some business groups warned it could hurt small companies and dampen hiring.
“I don’t care this is an election year. I think we need to be responsible. This will be a problem for many companies,” said Congressman Kim Kataguiri, one of the amendment’s leading critics. “We are doing this in a rush and workers should know they might end up worse than they are now if business leaders stop hiring.”
Brazil had been among a handful of Latin American nations still operating under a six-day, 44-hour standard — a legacy of labor regulations dating back decades. Chile, Colombia, and Peru have already moved to 40-hour weeks in recent years, putting pressure on Brazil to keep pace with regional labor standards.
The amendment now moves to the Senate, where it is expected to face a speedier path given the political momentum from Wednesday’s vote. Analysts say Lula’s quick sponsorship and public backing of the measure is a deliberate electoral calculation, appealing to Brazil’s large working-class base.
Labor rights groups across the region hailed the vote as a turning point. “This is a victory not just for Brazilian workers but for all of Latin America,” said Marta Carlos of the Latin American Federation of Trade Unions. “Rest and family time are not luxuries — they are rights.”
The change, if fully implemented, would take effect 180 days after presidential signature, giving employers and small businesses time to restructure operations.
— Diego Vargas, Media Hook