Ricardo Dias, president of the Brazilian Association of Events (Abrafesta), said that ending the 6x1 work schedule could increase costs for Brazilian events [1, 2].
This shift threatens the operational viability of trade fairs, congresses, and concerts by reducing labor flexibility and increasing overhead for organizers. Because the events industry relies on short-term, high-intensity staffing, a mandated reduction in workdays may force companies to hire more staff to maintain the same level of service.
The 6x1 schedule currently allows for six consecutive days of work followed by one day of rest [3]. Dias said that removing this structure would likely lead to higher operational costs and could inadvertently increase informal labor within the sector [1, 2].
Industry leaders argue that the lack of flexibility would make it more expensive to execute large-scale productions. This concern aligns with broader economic warnings regarding the proposal. Firjan has estimated a potential economic impact of R$ 180 billion resulting from the end of the 6x1 scale [4].
To mitigate these risks, Abrafesta is advocating for the regularization of professionals through the MEI (Individual Microentrepreneur) system without a mandatory reduction in the work journey [1, 2]. This approach seeks to provide legal security for workers, and maintain the operational agility required by the events industry.
Dias said the current proposal fails to account for the unique demands of the events sector, where workloads are often concentrated into specific windows of time. Without the ability to utilize the 6x1 scale, organizers may struggle to staff events efficiently, potentially leading to higher ticket prices for consumers.
“ending the 6x1 work schedule could increase costs for Brazilian events”
The tension between labor rights and industry flexibility is centering on the 6x1 model, which is critical for sectors with peak-demand cycles like tourism and events. If the Brazilian government moves forward with the ban, the event sector may face a choice between absorbing higher labor costs or passing those expenses to consumers, while a shift toward MEI regularization suggests a move toward a 'gig economy' model to bypass rigid employment schedules.
