6×1 PEC divides experts between social demand and electoral calculation

The PEC (Proposed Amendment to the Constitution) that reduces the weekly working hours gained strength in a short time, driven by the strong popular appeal around the end of the 6×1 scale. The rapid progress of the proposal in the Chamber of Deputies and its wide repercussion on social media raises a question: is it a repressed social demand or a case of digital populism in an election year?

"Democracy lives on electoral cycles, which, in our case, are quadrennial. In election years, governments need more popular actions and agendas to boost their candidates. It is in this context that the PEC of reducing weekly working hours must be understood", stated Christian Lynch, political scientist at Iesp-Uerj.

Despite the electoral reading, experts also recognize that the proposal responds to a real demand from the population. Many workers face long working hours, with impacts on physical and mental health and family relationships.

"The 2017 labor reform actually helped to reduce many social rights. I would say that it is far from being a populist issue. On the other hand, it is clear that the electoral period favors the agenda, as it favors several other agendas. Parliamentarians take advantage of the electoral calendar, even if this has fiscal costs", analyzed Eduardo Grin, political scientist and professor at FGV.

Economic debate
Economic costs are the main argument used by opponents of the proposal. Businesspeople and leaders from different sectors of the Brazilian economy defend a more in-depth debate on the impacts of reducing working hours, especially in relation to the increase in labor expenses and the possible effects on inflation.

"Conservatives want authority, liberals want freedom, socialists want equality. Politics is irreducible to technique, and the rhetoric of technical discourse is often itself ideological discourse," said Lynch.

Historically, according to experts, structural changes in work relationships tend to be met with resistance. They cite as examples the end of slavery, in the 19th century, and the creation of the CLT (Consolidation of Labor Laws), in the 1940s.

"I think this is much more 'terrorism' from economic sectors in Brazil, which historically seek to maximize profits. Any change in labor relations is usually seen as a disaster, and this is a huge exaggeration," said Grin.

For experts, the discussion must be based on evidence. And, in the absence of consolidated national data, international experiences are often used as a possible reference.

- Belgium: four-day week with the same workload distributed over fewer days;
- France: 35-hour week;
- Spain: tests indicated an increase in well-being and average productivity, as well as a reduction in burnout and turnover.

"There is relative consensus in international experiences that reducing working hours produces positive effects, such as reducing turnover and reducing burnout", stated Grin. He points out, however, that the measure could also increase costs in some sectors and require new hires.

The influence of 6×1 on the vote
With regard to electoral impact, experts disagree about the PEC's potential to influence Brazilians who are still undecided, who represent around 10% of the electorate, according to a Quaest survey released this week.

For Lynch, this group tends to be less driven by ideological issues and more sensitive to concrete factors, such as income, employment and quality of life.

"This explains the popularity of the agenda and also the government's investment in it in an election year. The answer is there: it has real strength to convert a portion of the electorate to the center, which could be decisive in the election," he said.

Grin assesses that those who are undecided are distributed in segments that are not directly affected by the proposal.

Among them, he mentions:

- Young people, who work mostly informally or on applications;
- Religious voters, who can sympathize with the agenda from a social justice perspective;
- Urban middle class, made up of professionals hired as PJ or public servants.

"I honestly don't think the 6x1 reform will have a decisive impact on the undecided voter's choice. What tends to define the vote are themes such as corruption, administrative experience and the government's ability to present concrete deliveries", he concluded.

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Source: CNN