Movimento Surpreendente na Câmara dos Deputados
In a surprising move, the Chamber of Deputies rejected the priority given by the Liberal Party (PL) on the Proposed Amendment to the Constitution (PEC) that ends the 6×1 scale. Instead of adopting the 4×3 scale, as proposed by the PL, the deputies approved an aggregative amendment presented by the Workers’ Party (PT), which prevails the reduction of the current constitutional cap on working hours from 44 hours weekly to 40 hours, instituting two days of rest.
The transition to this new rule will be 1 year and 2 months, with the addition of two hours per month after the promulgation of the PEC.
The Chamber of Deputies approved the PEC, which was presented in the form of an aggregative amendment, which replaced the need for a nominal vote of the deputies in favor of the text of the amendment of the leader of the government in the House, deputy Paulo Pimenta (PT-RS). The text of the amendment was based on the report of deputy Léo Prates (Republicans-BA), approved in a special committee, which reduces the cap on working hours to 40 hours weekly and institutes two days of rest. In addition, the PEC provides that the two days of rest will be one of them on Sundays, in preference to the other two days of the week.
The original priority of the PL aimed to pressure the government, since the 4×3 scale, proposed by the PL, could be misinterpreted as a measure against the popular. The vote of the amendment was symbolic, meaning that the deputies voted in favor of the text without a nominal record of the votes. This parliamentary maneuver allowed the aggregative amendment, presented by the PT, to replace the original rules.
The vote of the PEC was an important move for the government, which seeks to approve the labor reform. The reduction of the cap on working hours to 40 hours weekly and the institution of two days of rest have the objective of protecting workers with a signed contract. In addition, the addition of two hours per month after the promulgation of the PEC allows for a gradual transition to the new rule. The PEC was approved with 34 votes in favor and four against, all from the opposition.
