Brazil cuts working week, giving some workers an extra day off

Brazil has shortened the working week to a maximum of 40 hours, a move that could affect up to 30million people and hand a political win to Left-wing president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva ahead of the presidential runoff in just nine days. 

The amendment to Brazil's constitution passed through the country's congress. On top of cutting the maximum workweek from 44 to 40 hours, it also bans six-day workweeks which 16million Brazilians are on. 

The new rules are expected to largely affect retail, restaurant and hotel workers – most of them being low-paid. 

Lula lost support from this cohort since the 2022 election, where he defeated Jair Bolsonaro. 

In just a few weeks, he will be going up against his son, far-Right senator Flávio Bolsonaro. 

While Lula has long backed the working week amendment, the younger Bolsonaro spent months opposing it before reversing course on Tuesday. 

Lula wrote on social media following the amendment's passage: 'Ending the 6x1 schedule is about more than changing working hours. It means more time to live, rest, be with family, watch your children grow up, look after yourself and enjoy life.'

Though it has been approved, none of the changes will take effect until well after the October 25 runoff. 

After the Senate president promulgates the amendment, it will be 60 days before six-day workweeks are abolished.

The maximum working week, meanwhile, will go from 44 to 42 hours, then to 40 hours after a further 14 months. 

Despite this, Brazilians appeared to be relieved that these new limits will soon come into effect.

Lilian Cristo dos Santos, 50, told The Guardian she only has one day off from her job as a saleswoman in Salvador, Bahia: 'There’s no time to go to the doctor, to the beach, to the salon, to look after myself; I wanted to have time to study and I can’t. On my only day off, I have to clean the house and look after my family.'

Lula has narrowed the gap with conservative rival Bolsonaro ahead of the presidential runoff, a poll showed on Thursday. 

Bolsonaro caused surprise by defeating Lula in the October 4 first round with 47 per cent of the vote compared to Lula's 45 per cent.

Lula has sought to rebound by boosting his presence on social media and announcing a range of crowd-pleasing social measures.

A Datafolha poll of voter intentions published Thursday showed the rivals in a statistical tie.

It showed Bolsonaro with 51 per cent of the vote, compared to 49 per cent for Lula, which is within the two-percentage-point margin of error.

Last week, the same polling firm had Bolsonaro on 52 per cent and Lula on 48 per cent.

On Wednesday, Quaest polling company also showed Bolsonaro on 51 per cent and Lula on 49 per cent.