Brazilian federal lawmaker André Janones, of the Rede party from Minas Gerais, has introduced a constitutional amendment proposal that would require members of Congress to work under a six-days-on, one-day-off schedule. The measure would apply to both federal deputies and senators and would mandate deliberative sessions from Monday through Saturday, with roll-call attendance checks and punctuality controls.
The proposal seeks to change Article 57 of Brazil’s Constitution to state that Congress must operate under a work regime with six days of activity followed by one paid day of weekly rest. Janones says the plan is meant to create a “necessary, fair, and educational” alignment between the work routine of elected officials and the reality faced by most Brazilian workers.
In the justification for the proposal, Janones links the initiative to the national debate over the continued use of the 6×1 work schedule in the labor market. He argues that if six days of work per week are considered acceptable and practical for ordinary citizens, then the same standard should also apply to lawmakers who create the country’s laws.
The text also criticizes the current operation of Congress, where voting sessions are mostly concentrated between Tuesday and Thursday. According to Janones, this pattern allows parliament to distance itself from the pace and pressure experienced by regular workers, even as lawmakers claim that other days are reserved for party-related activities and work in their political bases.
Under the proposal, the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate would be required to hold mandatory deliberative sessions from Monday to Saturday. The only exceptions would be official missions authorized by law and other absences already provided for in legislation.
Janones says the aim is to set an example from the top. In his view, if the country’s economy and workers demand six days of effort from those at the bottom of the social ladder, then the people who write the laws should also share that burden and demonstrate the same level of commitment to public service. He presents the amendment as a symbolic and practical response to debates about fairness, workload, and the distance between political institutions and everyday labor conditions in Brazil.
The proposal is likely to add fuel to the broader discussion over working hours, labor rights, and political accountability in Brazil, especially as the 6×1 schedule continues to draw criticism from workers’ groups and public debate.
