Brazil’s Flávio Bolsonaro Backs Ending 6X1 Work Week

BRAZIL · POLITICS

Conservative candidate Flávio Bolsonaro said on Tuesday he will vote to end Brazil’s 6×1 work week, six days on and one off. The turn comes a day before an expected Senate vote and 12 days before his runoff against President Lula.

Flávio Bolsonaro, the conservative senator challenging President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, now backs ending the 6×1 work week. He told reporters on Tuesday, 13 October, that most Brazilian workers want the change.

For US firms with Brazilian payrolls, the reform could change labour costs in Latin America’s largest economy. His shift also answers a direct challenge Lula had put to him before the runoff on Sunday, 25 October.

What Flávio Bolsonaro Said

Brasil de Fato, a left-leaning São Paulo news outlet, reported his remarks to the press on Tuesday after he visited his father. Former president Jair Bolsonaro is under house arrest after his conviction for attempting a coup.

“A maioria dos trabalhadores brasileiros quer o fim da escala 6×1,” he said, meaning most Brazilian workers want the schedule to end. “Então, eu vou votar a favor do fim da 6×1,” he added, meaning he will vote for ending it.

He also said “só que a gente defende algo ainda melhor,” meaning his camp defends something even better. Brasil de Fato reported that he did not spell out what that alternative would be.

Poder360, a Brasília political news site, reported early on Tuesday that he had concluded he could not vote against the amendment. According to Poder360, he still regards the text as poorly drafted and harmful to the economy.

How His Position Changed

For months, Flávio called the proposal opportunistic and argued that workers should negotiate their own hours with employers. Brasil de Fato quotes him saying earlier that he wanted workers to have the freedom to set their own schedule.

At a press conference in Brasília on Tuesday, 6 October, he promised an “infinitely better” alternative to the Senate text. He added that “whoever wants to work more will work more,” Estadão Conteúdo reported via the Belém daily O Liberal.

Lula challenged him on Wednesday, 7 October, saying he wanted to see how Flávio would vote, Poder360 reported. O Liberal reported that Lula pressed him again on Monday and predicted most senators would back the change.

What the Amendment Would Change

The proposal is a constitutional amendment, known in Brazil as a PEC, that would end the 6×1 schedule as the legal norm. Under that pattern, many retail, service and factory employees work six days for each day off.

Brazil’s Constitution currently caps the normal working week at 44 hours and eight hours a day. US federal law, by comparison, sets 40 hours as the weekly threshold for overtime pay.

A constitutional amendment needs at least 49 of the 81 senators, or three fifths, in each of two voting rounds. Poder360 and O Liberal report that Senate President Davi Alcolumbre has scheduled the first round for Wednesday, 14 October.

What It Means for US Readers

US companies employing staff in Brazil, from retailers to manufacturers and call centres, would face new scheduling rules if the change passes. Firms with large hourly workforces could need more staff or overtime to cover the extra rest.

Investors in New York-listed Brazilian shares such as Petrobras, Vale and Itaú Unibanco watch labour costs and the fiscal outlook closely. With both runoff candidates now backing it, the reform no longer divides the race as it did last week.

The runoff also matters for relations with Washington, which imposed tariffs of up to 50% on Brazilian goods in 2025. Flávio’s family is allied with President Donald Trump, while Lula has pressed Washington to lift those tariffs.

What Prediction Markets Say

Bettors on Polymarket gave Flávio an 86.4% chance of winning on 13 October at 12:35 p.m. ET, and Lula 12.5%. More than US$180 million has been traded on that market since it opened.

Kalshi, regulated by the US Commodity Futures Trading Commission, priced Flávio at 87.0% and Lula at 13.0% at 11:07 a.m. ET. Neither platform isolates the effect of a single campaign statement such as his 6×1 remarks.

Why we show this: prediction markets turn real-money bets into a live probability that moves within minutes of the news, which is why investors, campaigns and newsrooms in the United States now follow them closely. We show them next to polls and official results, never instead of them.

What Is Not Known

Flávio did not say what “even better” alternative he favours, or whether he would seek changes after the vote. It is also unclear whether his Liberal Party, or PL, the main conservative party, will tell its senators to follow him.

The new weekly hour limit in the final text could not be checked against the official Senate record. The vote date could also slip, since Brasil de Fato says it may come on Wednesday or Thursday.

What Comes Next

The Senate is expected to hold the first round on Wednesday, 14 October, with a second round to follow. Flávio, a sitting senator for Rio de Janeiro, will cast his own vote in the plenary.

Brazilians vote in the runoff on Sunday, 25 October, and the winner takes office in January 2027. His yes vote does not guarantee passage, since the amendment still needs 49 senators in both rounds.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the 6×1 work week in Brazil?

It is a pattern of six working days followed by one day off, common in retail and services. The constitutional amendment before the Senate would end it as the legal norm.

What did Flávio Bolsonaro say about the 6×1 schedule?

On Tuesday, 13 October, he said most Brazilian workers want the 6×1 schedule to end and that he will vote in favour. He added that his camp defends something even better, without giving details.

Did Flávio Bolsonaro oppose the change before?

Yes, for months he called the proposal opportunistic and argued that workers should agree their hours with employers. On 6 October he still promised an alternative rather than saying how he would vote.

When will Brazil’s Senate vote on ending the 6×1 schedule?

Senate President Davi Alcolumbre has scheduled the first round for Wednesday, 14 October, according to Poder360 and O Liberal. The amendment needs at least 49 of 81 senators in each of two rounds.

Why does this matter for Americans?

US firms with Brazilian staff could face new scheduling rules and higher labour costs. The issue also shapes the 25 October runoff, which will set Brazil’s tone toward the Trump administration.

Sources: Constitution of Brazil, Articles 7 and 60 (Planalto); Brasil de Fato; Poder360; O Liberal / Estadão Conteúdo (6 October); O Liberal (12 October); O Liberal (Senate vote date) (all accessed 13 October 2026).