President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva said on Wednesday (26) that Brazil "is ready" to move forward with ending the 6x1 work schedule, under which employees work six days for every day of rest, along with three other government priorities. The statement was posted on social media shortly before a meeting with the speaker of the lower house, Hugo Motta, and the Senate president, Davi Alcolumbre, according to G1.

"Today is an important day for our future. I will meet with speakers Hugo Motta (House) and Davi Alcolumbre (Senate) to address, with the urgency the Brazilian people need, four issues: the end of the 6x1 schedule and of the 'little blouses tax', the Public Security amendment and the Critical Minerals Legal Framework. Brazil is ready to take these steps and to guarantee more time and security for Brazilian families", Lula wrote.

The government expects the four items to advance next week, when Congress holds its last votes before the October 4 election, according to G1.

6x1 amendment could be voted in committee next Wednesday

The constitutional amendment (PEC, in the Portuguese acronym) that reduces working hours is in the Senate's Constitution and Justice Committee (CCJ) and could be voted on next Wednesday (2). The rapporteur, Senator Omar Aziz, told Ana Flor's blog at G1 that he will deliver his report on Thursday (27). He said there is an agreement with the committee chairman, Otto Alencar, for the proposal to be the first item on the agenda. Aziz will propose a two-month transition to cut the workweek from 44 to 42 hours and up to one year to reach 40 hours. The text was drafted so it does not need to return to the lower house, which approved it in May.

Lula's allies are pressing for the Senate floor to vote the amendment on the same day as the committee. Under congressional rules, an amendment approved in committee must pass two rounds of voting in the plenary, five business days apart. Alcolumbre has not ruled out the possibility, but made no promises, according to G1.

Import tax decision due by Sept. 8

Also on the meeting agenda is the provisional measure that scrapped the so-called "little blouses tax", a 20% import duty on international purchases of up to US$50 that mainly hit cheap online shopping. The measure was published in May and must be voted by Congress by September 8. Without a vote, the tax returns on September 9. So far, lawmakers have only installed the committee tasked with reviewing it. In an interview with TV Record on Sunday (23), Lula said he hopes to "announce the end of the little blouses tax, for the good of people who like to buy little things".

The Public Security amendment will also be reviewed by the Senate committee next Wednesday, Otto Alencar confirmed, according to InfoMoney. The text, approved by the lower house on March 4 by 461 votes to 14, creates a constitutional basis for a tougher legal regime against criminal organizations. The Senate rapporteur, Rogério Carvalho, kept the deputies' text intact, which spares the bill a new lower-house vote if senators approve it unchanged.

The calendar is tight. The committee votes both amendments next Wednesday, the deadline for the import tax measure ends on September 8, and next week is Congress's final week of votes before the October election.