40-hour work week will be the rallying cry on May 1st.

Marco Damiani_247 – A different kind of union banner will return to the news in the coming days. It's the 40-hour work week banner, which is on the agenda of the Chamber of Deputies and will be the main theme of the May 1st demonstrations. President Dilma Rousseff has confirmed her presence at the two events organized in São Paulo by CUT and Força Sindical. Senator Aécio Neves will be at the Força Sindical event. Former President Lula is expected at the CUT's May 1st event.

Physically separated during holiday meetings, the two largest labor unions in the country are expected to unite in lobbying the Chamber of Deputies for the 40-hour workweek bill and other labor issues. “This time, the chance of approval is greater because the bill is already being processed and we are willing to negotiate its implementation,” said the president of Força Sindical, Paulo Pereira da Silva, to Brasil 247. “We can agree to gradually reduce the workday by one hour every six months.” Brazil currently has an official 44-hour workweek. According to Paulinho's formula, implementation would take two years to complete.

Tomorrow, a group of union members will have breakfast at the official residence of the Speaker of the House in Brasília. Marco Maia will be invited to support the 40-hour work week. The Força Sindical union has scheduled a meeting with the CNI (National Confederation of Industry) to try to convince employers of the economic importance of reducing working hours. "This measure strengthens the process of economic development because it supports job creation by stimulating more economic activity," argues Paulinho. In developed countries such as France, Norway, Spain, and Australia, the official weekly working hours are less than 35.