Brazil: sixth national employee walk focused on working time cuts

The demonstration on Wednesday, November 11 was the biggest of the six now traditional Working Class Walks (“Marcha de la Clase Trabalhadora”) organized since 2004. This year, the annual demonstration of Brazilian unions focused on working time reduction and wage increases. Between 40,000 and 50,000 workers gathered in the capital city, Brasilia, under the leadership of the Unique Workers’ Center (Central Unica dos Trabalhadores, CUT) and five other key unions in Brazil. As in 2008, their main claim was bringing the work week from 44 down to 40 hours with no wage cut. Unions are hoping that their unfailing unity in this area will allow pressuring lawmakers into approving the constitutional draft amendment (PEC 231/95) which implements the 40-hour week and which is currently stuck at the Chamber of Deputies. Parliament representatives invited at the demonstration, including the President of the Senate, promised to facilitate the vote of this initiative.
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44 down to 40 hours with no wage cut. Unions are hoping that their unfailing unity in this area will allow pressuring lawmakers into approving the constitutional draft amendment (PEC 231/95) which implements the 40-hour week and which is currently stuck at the Chamber of Deputies. Parliament representatives invited at the demonstration, including the President of the Senate, promised to facilitate the vote of this initiative.

Debate over the 40-hour week. Unions defend the theory that the measu

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