The legislative process of the constitutional amendment (PEC) proposing an end to the 6×1 work schedule in the Senate has faced a strategic setback. The government postponed the vote after identifying a lack of quorum to ensure its approval.
The attempt to quickly advance the proposal to change the country’s labor regime hit a decisive obstacle in the Federal Senate. Despite approval by the Constitution and Justice Committee (CCJ), the government backed away from the decision to bring PEC 221/2019 to the floor this Wednesday, acknowledging the opposition’s successful efforts to empty the session.
The government leader in Congress, Senator Randolfe Rodrigues (PT/AP), confirmed that the decision to delay the vote was made after a rigorous vote count. The government realized it would not be able to reach the minimum threshold of 49 favorable votes required to pass a constitutional amendment, choosing instead to avoid a public defeat on the floor.
Challenges in political coordination and resistance
The resistance did not come solely from the traditional opposition. Segments of the Centrão, influenced by lobbying from business representatives, showed caution regarding the transition to a 5×2 schedule. The concern is that the change in working hours could cause immediate economic impacts if not accompanied by mechanisms for sectoral adaptation.
Senator Randolfe Rodrigues stated:
The opposition’s mobilization to empty the session was effective, and the government now prefers a more mature process to ensure the proposal has the necessary legal certainty to be approved by the end of October.
The rapporteur of the bill in the committee, Senator Omar Aziz (PSD/AM), had rejected 36 amendments to expedite the process and avoid returning the text to the Chamber of Deputies. However, this fast-track strategy clashed with the need for deeper adjustments advocated by lawmakers such as Eduardo Braga (MDB/AM), who suggests a parallel PEC to account for special labor regimes, such as offshore work.
Impacts and future outlook
With the postponement, the issue gains new political momentum extending into the post-election period. The expectation is that the voting calendar will resume after the second round of elections, scheduled for the end of October. Until then, existing legislation and current collective bargaining agreements remain in place.
The strategic delay allows the government to attempt to neutralize resistance from the productive sector and adjust the technical details of the proposal. The main objective is to ensure that the transition to more flexible work schedules occurs without compromising the stability of sectors that operate under continuous work regimes, maintaining the security of both the workers and the companies involved.
