Palácio do Planalto sees the discussion of the PEC (Proposed Amendment to the Constitution) that it foresees as positive, but still assesses the developments with caution.
The president (), who does not have a cell phone, is already aware of the movement that has grown on social media, according to aides.
(Institutional Relations), minister of political articulation of the government, will receive this Wednesday (13) the deputy (-SP), author of the proposal that gained repercussion in recent days.
According to the parliamentarian’s office, there were already 195 signatures needed for processing — there were 195 as of 10 am this Wednesday, with the minimum required being 171 of the 513 deputies.
The government’s political core also carried out a survey of all the legislative proposals that deal with the topic, some dating back to 2019. In this context, this Wednesday, it will also hear from other parliamentarians who drafted PECs in the same direction.
There is an understanding, however, that it is necessary to carefully observe how the movement evolves in society and also in the political world. Even though it is difficult for the issue to thrive in Congress, support on social media can put pressure on parliamentarians, including those who currently oppose it.
The view of Planalto members is that the government should take advantage of the discussion of a rare progressive agenda that has grown on social media — an environment that has been used more skillfully by the right.
The proposal is gaining traction in the government even amidst demands on the PT for there to be one, especially after weak electoral performance in the municipal elections. President Lula himself has said this in interviews.
In outskirts of large cities, such as São Paulo, the working class voted significantly for right-wing candidates, such as (), who have an intense discourse on entrepreneurship.
Thus, the Lula government intends to deepen the discussion on the topic, but also with care not to try to take over the agenda as if it were its own. There is fear that, by supporting the measure,
There is also the view that the Executive should not take a single and public position on the issue, but rather support the debate, in addition to allowing isolated demonstrations by the holders of the Esplanada dos Ministérios.
One of the first demonstrations in this regard came from the minister of Secom (Secretariat of Social Communication), Paulo Pimenta, who defended the proposal on his social networks.
“The proposal to change the 6×1 scale has my support. Any initiative that aims to improve the working conditions and life of the working class will always have our support. If I were in the Chamber I would have already signed the PEC. We have a historic fight in defense the reduction of working hours”, he wrote.
Another position seen as important was that of vice-president Geraldo Alckmin, who said that the debate would be up to society and Parliament.
Alckmin’s speech drew attention, considering that he is also the Minister of Development, Industry, Commerce and Services, and, therefore, one of the main interlocutors with the productive sector — which took a stance against the measure.
Minister Anielle Franco (Racial Equality) also stated that the debate is a “legitimate agenda of the Brazilian worker”.
A wing of the government criticized the Minister of Labor and Employment, Luiz Marinho, behind the scenes for taking a stance against the PEC. He defended that the proposal be negotiated directly between companies and workers, through conventions and collective agreements.
The argument is that the government should not oppose the discussion by society or the National Congress of a topic of great appeal and that affects the reality of workers.
A member recalls that the change in working hours became the subject of a campaign by the CUT (Central Única dos Trabalhadores) itself, which aimed to reach 40 hours a week —Marinho has already presided over the entity.
The president of the PT, Gleisi Hoffman, in turn, has already signed the PEC and, in an interview with the party’s radio, defended the proposal. “The working class deserves respect and fairer and more dignified working conditions because the 6 to 1 scale takes away the right to leisure and entertainment, time with family, self-care and even studies,” he said.
The proposal to change the working day was criticized by members of the right, such as the deputy (PL-MG).
Senator (-PI), president of the party, said that the proposal is not realistic.
“It’s as good an idea, for example, as increasing the minimum wage to R$10,000. Who can be against it? Now, saying that this is viable in today’s Brazil is lying to the population, and I don’t do that”, he said.
Although the majority was against the text, there is disagreement. Senator Cleitinho Azevedo (-MG) published a video on his social networks in which he defends the end of the 6×1 scale and criticizes the working hours of Brazilian politicians.
The debate about the end of the work model in which paid rest occurs only on one day of the week gained strength following the PEC proposed by the PSOL deputy, which provides for the reduction of working hours to four days, with a maximum of 36 hours per week.
The change, if approved, will allow shorter working hours and more rest days, something that already happens in other countries. The topic, however, is met with resistance in some sectors, such as bars and restaurants, which claim that reducing scale could lead to higher prices.
