PEC 6×1 could generate several layoffs in the market, says manager at Fiemg

One month after being approved by the Chamber of Deputies, the PEC that foresees the end of the 6×1 scale should begin to be processed in the Senate.

The proposal, which also includes a reduction in working hours, raises concerns in the productive sector, especially among small and medium-sized companies.

Fernanda Ribas, labor manager at Fiemg (Federation of Industries of Minas Gerais), evaluated the main points of attention of the proposal.

According to her, although the discussion about more rest time for workers is legitimate, the way the text was approved in the Chamber raises serious doubts about its economic impacts.

"How can we do this without increasing prices, increasing inflation, reducing vacancies, decreasing competitiveness?", he asked.

Fernanda Ribas highlighted that the proposal provides for a reduced transition period in relation to working hours and no adaptation period for changing schedules.

"What the proposal envisages is sticking to just one work scale, which is 5×2", he stated. For her, the minimum necessary would be more time for discussion, followed by a reasonable period of time to adapt to the proposed changes.

Risk of mass judicialization
Another point raised by Fernanda Ribas is the risk of an explosion of cases in the Labor Court. She explained that the proposal provides that collective negotiations currently in force will lose effectiveness 60 days after the promulgation of the PEC, if it is approved.

"This fact alone can generate numerous lawsuits in the Labor Court", he warned. Furthermore, contracts signed under current legislation and prices agreed by companies may also be questioned in court, creating, in the expert's opinion, a serious lack of legal certainty.

Small and medium-sized companies at the center of the impact
Fernanda Ribas highlighted that the impact of the PEC will be proportionally greater on small and medium-sized companies, which represent the majority in the country.

While large companies can absorb the new costs or even automate jobs, smaller companies may not be able to do the same. "What will happen? The closure of several jobs", he stated.

She also challenged the premise that reducing working hours would automatically lead to increased productivity, stating that "productivity cannot be increased in the blink of an eye" and that studies carried out in developed countries, such as those in Europe, the United States, Canada and Japan, have not proven this effect.

Regional inequality and impact on public service
The expert also warned of the risk of increasing market concentration and deepening regional inequalities. More developed regions, with greater capacity to absorb impacts, tend to move even further away from less developed ones.

Fernanda Ribas also drew attention to a point that is little debated: the impact on private companies that provide services to the public administration. City halls with fewer financial resources may not be able to maintain these contracts, generating significant consequences in these locations.

"It is a discussion that cannot be done in an accelerated way as the government intends. It has to be done in a calm, responsible way", he concluded.

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Source: CNN