STORY-TRÅD·politik

Brazil advances toward shorter working hours, more rest

The enactment of the constitutional amendment establishing a five-day workweek marks a new chapter in the history of labor relations in Brazil. The change, which guarantees workers two days of rest per week and was approved by Congress on Friday (Oct. 16), follows more than a century of demands for limits on working hours and better conditions that allow workers to pursue activities outside the workplace. Drawing on historical data from the Ministry of Labor and Employment and the Superior Labor Court, Agência Brasil compiled a survey of key milestones in the evolution of working hours in Brazil. Legacy of slavery Notícias relacionadas:Brazil’s new work schedule to take effect in two months.Congress approves changes to Brazil’s working hours.Brazilian government launches campaign to change work schedules.Before the first labor laws were enacted, Brazil’s economy was sustained for centuries by enslaved labor. According to the Superior Labor Court, the history of free, wage-based labor in the country is relatively recent. For four centuries, Brazil’s economy relied on enslaved labor. By contrast, the era of free, paid labor in the country began just over a century ago. This legacy helps explain why labor rights were established gradually. First steps In the early 20th century, workers began organizing to demand labor rights and limits on working hours. At the time, the lack of comprehensive regulations allowed for long working hours across various sectors of the economy. According to the historical records of the Ministry of Labor and Employment, in 1912, the Brazilian Labor Confederation, established during the Fourth Brazilian Workers’ Congress, advocated for an agenda that included an eight-hour workday and a six-day workweek. Other demands included compensation for workplace accidents, a minimum wage, mandatory health insurance, and old-age pensions. Ministry, Justice, CLT A few years later, in 1918, the Brazilian government established the National Department of Labor, one of the first government agencies dedicated to regulating labor relations. Labor protection advanced institutionally in 1923 with the creation of the National Labor Council. The Superior Labor Court identifies this body as one of the early milestones in the development of Brazil’s Labor Courts system. In the 1930s, under Getúlio Vargas’s administration, the creation of the Ministry of Labor marked a period of expansion, organization, and regulation of labor law in Brazil. According to the court, this process culminated in the establishment of the Labor Courts in 1941 and the consolidation of labor legislation in the years that followed. One of the key milestones in this process was the enactment of the Consolidation of Labor Laws (CLT) in 1943, which brought together and organized existing labor legislation. End of the 6x1 work schedule For much of the 20th century, Brazilian law set the maximum workweek at 48 hours. The 1988 Federal Constitution brought about one of the most significant changes to this model, reducing the maximum workweek to 44 hours while maintaining the eight-hour daily limit. The enactment of the end of the 6x1 work schedule now represents yet another significant change in this trajectory. By guaranteeing two days of rest per week, the new rule alters a form of work organization that had persisted for decades in sectors such as retail and services. The measure extends workers’ rest periods and joins a series of changes that, throughout Brazilian history, have sought to limit the time devoted to work and expand the rights of Brazilians. Timeline Until 1888 – Brazil’s economy relied heavily on enslaved labor, with no labor rights. 1912 – The Brazilian Labor Confederation began advocating for an eight-hour workday and a six-day workweek. 1918 – The National Department of Labor was established. 1923 – The National Labor Council was established. 1930 – The Ministry of Labor, Industry, and Commerce was established. 1941 – The Labor Courts were established. 1943 – The Consolidation of Labor Laws (CLT) was enacted. 1988 – The Federal Constitution reduced the maximum workweek from 48 to 44 hours. 2026 – Congress enacts a constitutional amendment abolishing the 6x1 work schedule and guaranteeing two days of rest per week for all workers.