The special committee of the Chamber of Deputies approved this Wednesday (27) the base text of the Proposed Amendment to the Constitution (PEC) that reduces the weekly working hours from 44 to 40 hours and provides for the end of the 6×1 schedule, a model in which the worker works for six consecutive days with only one day off. The proposal is considered one of the main labor banners of the government of President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.
The main text of the proposed constitutional amendment received 34 votes in favor and only four against in the special committee established in the Chamber of Deputies. Now, the matter goes to the plenary for analysis, where it will need the support of at least 308 deputies in two rounds of voting before proceeding to the Senate.
The dissenting votes came from parliamentarians linked to the PL and Novo parties. Opposition deputies criticized the potential economic impacts of the change, especially for small businesses and labor-intensive sectors.
The proposal calls for a gradual transition and two days off per week.
The proposed constitutional amendment establishes a 14-month transition period for the reduction of the weekly work schedule. According to the approved text, 60 days after the amendment's enactment, the workload would drop to 42 hours per week. After one year, there would be a further reduction until reaching the limit of 40 hours.
The report also establishes two paid weekly rest days, one of which should preferably be on Sundays. However, the text allows for collective agreements and conventions to define compensation models, provided that, on average, the granting of the stipulated days off is guaranteed.
The rapporteur for the proposal, Deputy Leo Prates, also included in his report a guarantee that the reduction in working hours cannot result in a decrease in salary, either proportionally or nominally. This protection also applies to existing minimum wages.
Government and Chamber of Deputies are working together to advance the proposal.
The vote took place after coordination between the Speaker of the House, Hugo Motta, and the Presidential Palace. To expedite the process, Motta convened a lightning-fast plenary session in the morning solely to meet a procedural deadline related to a request for review submitted by the opposition.
The chairman of the committee, Alencar Santana, tried to negotiate the withdrawal of amendments to speed up the voting, but the PL maintained an alternative proposal that attempts to replace the model advocated by the left with a 4x3 schedule, with four days of work and three days of rest.
The proposed constitutional amendment was authored by Representative Reginaldo Lopes, from the Workers' Party (PT), but it also incorporated a proposal presented by Representative Erika Hilton, linked to the Life Beyond Work Movement (VAT), led by Rio de Janeiro city councilman Rick Azevedo.
The debate exposed the division between the government and the opposition.
During the session, government parliamentarians defended the proposal as a measure to value workers and improve their quality of life. The opposition, however, argued that reducing working hours could increase operational costs and lead to higher prices.
Representative Gilson Marques, from the Novo party, argued that companies would have to hire more employees to compensate for the reduction in working hours. According to him, this could directly impact the cost of products and services.
On the other hand, Erika Hilton criticized the opposition's stance and accused conservative sectors of spreading misinformation about the effects of the proposal. "They lied to the workers, saying there would be a decrease in jobs and a drop in GDP," the congresswoman stated during the debate.
The discussion also included the participation of Father Júlio Lancellotti and the Minister of Institutional Relations, José Guimarães.
The text excludes high-income workers from timekeeping controls.
Another point included in the report establishes that workers who earn more than two and a half times the INSS ceiling — currently around R$ 21,1 — will not be subject to the working hours control rules foreseen in the proposal. This exception does not apply to public servants.
Furthermore, existing contracts involving the direct provision of labor must undergo economic and financial rebalancing before the definitive implementation of the reduced working hours.
Constitutional amendment could become a central issue in 2026.
Beyond the labor impact, the proposal has strong political weight. The defense of ending the 6x1 work schedule had already been used by President Lula as an electoral platform and has gained momentum in recent months on social media and within labor movements.
Behind the scenes, lawmakers believe that the progress of the proposed constitutional amendment could also directly influence the political race in 2026, both within the government and in the succession for the presidency of the Chamber of Deputies.
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