Federal deputy Marcos Pollon (PL-MS) is seeking signatures for a Proposed Amendment to the Constitution (PEC) that provides for the end of holidays in Brazil. According to the parliamentarian, the objective of the measure is to make the country more economically competitive.
“I think the best thing would be for every holiday to go to Sunday of each week, as we wouldn’t have so many interruptions in the production scale,” said the deputy. Pollon’s suggestion was made during the discussion of the
“Unlike other proposals, I take into account the weight that exists on the operational cost of things, whether in products or services. A holiday or paid rest creates a burden on the cash register, and you are the one who pays for it. The value is always passed on and can be even more harmful with shorter working hours”, declared Pollon.
What does the deputy’s proposal say?
The text, originally presented as a bill in 2023, establishes the following:
- Article 1: This Law transfers the celebration of holidays to the first Sunday following the date of the holiday;
- §1º: On the date of the holiday that does not fall on Sunday, there will be normal working hours in public offices and it will be up to the private sector to determine whether there will be working hours within its scope;
- §2º: The optional point in public bodies is now extinct, and it will be up to the private sector to determine the operation of their establishments.
Justification
As reiterated in the article, Pollon argues that “the main motivation behind this proposal lies in the search to mitigate the economic losses caused by work stoppages on holidays and optional periods”.
“The shutdown of economic activities on holidays and optional periods results in considerable damage to several productive sectors. Companies stop operating, commerce closes its doors, and production is interrupted, generating direct impacts on the Bruno Domestic Product (GDP) and job creation”, highlights the deputy.
Pollon has also been collecting signatures for another proposal, dubbed the “double salary PEC”, which aims to eliminate the Consolidation of Labor Laws (CLT) tax, increasing the worker’s average pay.
“The PEC proposal is, mainly, to discuss the weight of the burden on the private sector. Everyone agrees that working conditions in Brazil must improve, they need to improve, as well as the quality of life of workers. However, it is not enough to present the problem without presenting a solution focus. I understand that the viable solution to valuing work is the reduction of charges”, Pollon told CNN.
