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The Lula Government Intensifies the Debate on Ending the 6×1 Shift and Reducing the Workweek, While Companies and Congress Prepare for a Possible New Model in Labor Relations in Brazil.
The Minister of Labor and Employment, Luiz Marinho, stated that the Lula government intends to accelerate the debate to end the traditional 6×1 shift — a system where the worker works six consecutive days and rests only one.
In an interview with Folha de S.Paulo, published on November 8, 2025, the minister declared that “companies should prepare because the end of the 6×1 is coming.”
According to Marinho, the topic gained traction in Congress after the recent approval of the income tax exemption for those earning up to R$ 5,000, which he considers an example of a popular victory that could boost other labor agendas.
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“Parliament only becomes sensitive when there is social pressure, as happened with the income tax exemption. We need to repeat this mobilization around work hours,” he stated.
Government Seeks Transition to New Workweek
According to the minister, the government’s proposal is to reduce the weekly work hours to 40, respecting the particularities of sectors that operate continuously, such as health and transportation.
“It is entirely possible to move away from the 6×1 through collective negotiation. It is not about imposing something from the top down, but about building a responsible transition,” he explained to Folha.
Marinho also sent a direct message to business owners: “Start studying the subject, start preparing, because the end of the 6×1 is coming and we need to accelerate this process.”
He stated that Congress has shown “growing sensitivity” to the issue, but emphasized that popular pressure will continue to be essential for the project to advance.
Criticism of Pejotization and the STF
During the interview, the minister criticized the advance of pejotization, a process in which workers are dismissed and re-employed as legal entities (PJs), losing rights guaranteed by the CLT.
Marinho classified the practice as “fraud” and directed criticism at Minister Gilmar Mendes of the Supreme Federal Court (STF) for having suspended actions on the topic until a definitive ruling from the Court.
“It was a misguided decision. I have personally told him that. This suspension of actions is dangerous and encourages fraud. The employer dismisses today and tomorrow rehired the same worker as a PJ. This is cruelty,” he stated.
According to the minister, large-scale pejotization threatens the country’s development and further weakens unions, which lost influence after the labor reform of 2017.
Labor Relations in Transformation
Although he acknowledges that the legal relationship between providers and contractors has existed for centuries, Marinho advocated for limits to prevent abuse.
“The problem is not being a PJ, but using that to mask employment links. When the worker depends exclusively on one company, there is no true autonomy,” he assessed.
He noted that the Ministry of Labor is currently discussing the regulation of app drivers and delivery workers, but acknowledged that the topic faces resistance in Congress.
According to the minister, the government’s proposal was “defeated by the extreme right’s narrative,” which had greater ability to influence the debate on social media.
“Those with more resources to invest in communication end up temporarily winning. But the issue has not died. The Speaker of the House, Hugo Motta, committed to resume the discussion, even if it comes from a new text,” Marinho declared.
Lula Bets on a Popular Agenda
The end of the 6×1 shift has become one of the main labor agendas of the Lula government, especially among labor unions and grassroots movements.
The measure is seen as a symbolic gesture of the revival of labor rights after years of flexibilization and an increase in precarious hiring.
According to sources consulted by Folha de S.Paulo, Lula sees the proposal as a way to reinforce the government’s commitment to valuing labor and redistributing workers’ time.
Marinho, for his part, emphasized that reducing the workweek could create new jobs by requiring more hiring to cover the reduced hours.
Collective Bargaining and Economic Challenges
The minister noted, however, that implementing the measure will require sectoral negotiation and transition planning, especially in segments with uninterrupted operations.
“A general law will not define the hours of each company, but it is up to collective negotiation to find the balance. The essential thing is to guarantee the right to a decent rest and avoid abuse,” he stated.
For Marinho, reducing the workweek and ending the 6×1 represent a necessary modernization of the Brazilian labor market, keeping pace with global transformations.
“The whole world is discussing workweek reduction. Brazil cannot fall behind,” he said.
Meanwhile, business owners and parts of Congress still show resistance, claiming impact on costs and productivity.
Marinho, however, insists that international experiences show positive results.
“Countries that reduced the workweek have reported gains in productivity and quality of life. Excessive work is not synonymous with efficiency,” he argued. The debate now moves towards a new political and economic chapter.
With Lula’s promise and the pressure from labor unions, the government is trying to turn the idea into a concrete proposal, while the productive sector seeks to adapt to the possible change.
The question that remains is: Is Brazil prepared to completely retire the traditional 6×1 shift and usher in a new era in labor relations?
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