Brazil Senate President Alcolumbre stalls 6×1 work schedule reform

President Luiz Inácio Lula’s government kept the constitutional urgency on the bill that would end the 6×1 work schedule and reduce the weekly workweek to 40 hours, urging the Chamber and Senate to act within 45 days.

Senate President Davi Alcolumbre (União‑Brasil‑AP) has blocked the bill’s progress by keeping the text in the Senate’s Board of Directors and not forwarding it to the Constitution and Justice Committee (CCJ). The move has delayed both the government‑backed amendment, which seeks to eliminate the 6×1 regime, and the opposition’s alternative proposal that would retain the current schedule but allow hourly contracts.

Lawmakers supporting the reform argue it would benefit the 22 million formal workers who exceed 40 hours weekly, while opponents warn of higher costs for businesses. The Senate needs 49 votes to approve the amendment, and the impasse comes amid an election year and broader tensions between the executive and legislative branches.