Brazil Senate stalls work‑hour reform as 6×1 scale proposal lingers

A constitutional amendment (PEC) to end the 6‑day work schedule (6×1) and reduce the weekly workweek from 44 to 40 hours was approved by the Chamber of Deputies in May 2026. The text has been awaiting a dispatch from Senate President Davi Alcolumbre for a month, preventing it from being sent to the Senate’s Constitution and Justice Committee (CCJ) for formal consideration.

A thematic debate is scheduled for 1 June, with government officials, union leaders and the proposal’s authors meeting Alcolumbre to press for progress. The executive views the amendment as a priority ahead of the 2026 elections, while the Senate president has signaled possible amendments, which could send the bill back to the Chamber and delay a vote.

Business groups, notably the Brazilian Association of Shopping Centers (Abrasce), warn that the reform could trigger up to R$15 billion in losses in the first year, cause layoffs and push many workers into informal employment. The sector fears higher labour costs and reduced sales, describing the impact as “avalanche‑like.”