On Tuesday (26), in a public hearing at the Chamber, representatives of national confederations of Industry (CNI) and of Commerce (CNC) criticized the Bill on a Constitutional Amendment (PEC) 231/95, which reduces the workload from 44 to 40 weekly hours and increases the value of overtime from 50% of regular value to 75%.

The representative of CNC, Alaim Macgregor, affirmed that that PEC will not contribute to the reduction of unemployment rate in Brazil. According to him, if the workday reduction is approved, it will be necessary to restructure the businesses, which will cause the reduction in the amount of available positions.

Macgregor defended the disencumbering of payrolls as a way of creating employments. He also said that unemployment should not be fought against with “utopias”, and adverted that the price increases resulting from the workday reduction will be transferred to consumers. Dagoberto Godoy, the representative of CNI, added that that measure will increase production costs, so that demand can be supplied.

Godoy reminded that the global market is competitive; according to him, countries as China and India encumber less the companies and their workday has more hours than in Brazil.

Bosses
The rapporteur on that matter, Deputy Vicentinho (PT-SP), criticized the undertakers’ standpoint: “They are the bosses and will never agree with anything. If the unions did not struggle to improve our life conditions, we would still work like slaves. Thus, their position is totally expected; as the rapporteur on that matter, I had to listen to them, with patience, and then present my review.”

According to Vicentinho, the workday reduction will generate employment, and thus, strengthen the domestic market.

Report - Paulo Roberto Miranda/Rádio Câmara
Editing - João Pitella Junior
Translation - Positive Idiomas Ltda