# Between social progress and economic reality

The reduction of the weekly working week is one of the most relevant debates for the future of labour relations in Brazil.

- Section: Business
- Published: November 5, 2026
- Address: https://ceoone.com.br/en/article/between-social-progress-and-economic-reality
- Em português: https://ceoone.com.br/artigo/entre-o-avanco-social-e-a-realidade-economica.md

![Neivor Canton in a grey blazer and light blue shirt, hands clasped, against a grey background](https://pub-b80e49b2737940b3ab5d3f20d0578192.r2.dev/artigos/entre-o-avanco-social-e-a-realidade-economica-foto-horizontal.webp)

Photo: Courtesy

## Key points

- Neivor Canton, president of Aurora Coop and vice-president of FIESC, supports more balanced working hours but warns of the cost of ending the 6x1 schedule without productivity gains.
- An OCESC survey estimates that a 40-hour week would require 12,394 hires at Santa Catarina cooperatives, at R$ 892.4 million a year, or R$ 10.8 billion in lost revenue.
- In his view, the way forward lies in collective bargaining, transition rules and different solutions by sector, region and company size.

*By Neivor Canton*

The reduction of the weekly working week is one of the most relevant debates for the future of labour relations in Brazil. The prospect of replacing the 6x1 schedule (six days on, one day off) with a regime that ensures more rest time brings together legitimate social aspirations and complex economic challenges. The issue calls for a reflection that goes beyond ideological antagonisms and considers, with equal seriousness, the well-being of workers, the sustainability of companies and the interests of society.

It is beyond dispute that work must provide decent living conditions. Family life, leisure, education and the preservation of physical and emotional health are essential dimensions of quality of life. More balanced working hours can reduce professional burnout, foster personal satisfaction and contribute to healthier productive environments. They can also stimulate consumption, professional training and, in certain circumstances, productivity.

It is a pity, however, that such a complex matter was placed on the agenda of Congress at the climax of the electoral process and, instead of a technical and balanced discussion, was contaminated by the rush to capture votes.

The potential benefits do not eliminate the difficulties inherent in reorganising the productive system. Keeping wages while reducing hours worked raises the cost of each hour of work and, as a consequence, makes every service and product on offer in the Brazilian economy more expensive. In other words, it inevitably feeds into higher inflation.

When this increase is not offset by efficiency gains, companies must hire, invest in technology, reorganise operations or absorb additional expenses. Not all sectors have the same conditions to make such adjustments: several studies, including one by Fiesc, indicate that thousands of small businesses will close their doors because they cannot cope with the new labour costs, and thousands of jobs will disappear.

The cooperative sector in Santa Catarina offers a concrete dimension of this challenge. A survey by the Organisation of Cooperatives of the State of Santa Catarina (OCESC) estimates that adopting a 40-hour week will require 12,394 additional hires, at an annual cost of R$ 892.4 million. Without rebuilding staff numbers, the same assessment projects annual revenue losses of R$ 10.8 billion, of which R$ 9.2 billion in the agricultural sector.

In agribusiness, especially in meat processing, the high dependence on labour and the need for operational continuity make adaptation particularly demanding. The availability of workers is another obstacle. Santa Catarina has low unemployment rates, which makes it difficult to hire thousands of additional professionals.

The effects also reach retail, transport, hospitals, services, rural producers and small businesses. The latter, with less financial and technological capacity, may struggle to preserve jobs and competitiveness. There are risks of informality, reduced supply and costs passed on to final prices, with repercussions on household purchasing power.

Brazil needs to reconcile social progress and productive capacity. This requires tackling shortcomings in infrastructure, skills, productivity and legal certainty. Above all, it requires recognising that a uniform solution can produce different consequences across sectors, regions and companies of different sizes.

Collective bargaining, dialogue between workers and employers and transition mechanisms are relevant instruments for reconciling legitimate interests. No transformation of this magnitude should do without predictability, responsibility and a proper understanding of its effects.

Improving labour relations is part of the civilising process. Its consistency, however, depends on preserving the economic conditions that sustain jobs, wages and social protection. The national challenge is not to choose between development and quality of life, but to build the conditions for both to advance in a balanced, lasting and socially fair way.

*Neivor Canton is president of Aurora Coop and vice-president for strategic affairs of the Federation of Industries of the State of Santa Catarina (FIESC).*

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