Brazilian Labor Minister Luiz Marinho met with freight transporters to discuss working conditions for the sector after the end of the 6x1 schedule. The meeting included vehicle transporters, known as cegonheiros, as well as representatives from the health sector.
The proposed constitutional amendment requires eight days off per month. The aim is to secure workers’ right to rest while taking account of the specific demands of their jobs. Freight companies and workers will seek an agreement with employers by December 16, when two days off per week are due to be guaranteed. If negotiations stall, the matter will return to the government.
The preferred approach is a national agreement with sector organizations, supplemented by regional adjustments through unions. Transporters’ main concern is how to provide the required rest during long-distance and international trips, including journeys lasting more than 30 days.
One option raised at the meeting would provide one day off per week for three weeks, followed by five consecutive days off when the worker returns home. The government is preparing a decree to regulate such arrangements, while Congress is also discussing a constitutional amendment on the issue.
José Ronaldo Marques da Silva, president of the National Union of Vehicle Transporters, said the work does not begin and end at the same address, involving thousands of kilometers, multiple states and operations tied to the pace of the automotive industry. He said rules should also work for people who spend their working lives on the road.
Sources: Folha Poder.