[SENATE] Bill to Ratify Hours of Work Convention of 1919

[Smyg]

Fellow most honoured delegates of the Chamber, I come to you not to brawl or dispute, but to continue the peaceful spirit of the recent treaty that ensured that all of us could meet here today in peace and civility. As such, what I propose today is not a radical or extreme measure. In fact, it — namely, the introduction of a limited national eight-hour work day, specific to certain industries — is an internationally accepted reform.

What I propose is simply the Brazilian ratification of the Hours of Work (Industry) Convention, which was introduced to the world stage in the distant year of 1919 by the International Labour Organisation, an agency of the League of Nations (of which we, naturally, are a dedicated member), in adherence to the specific recommendations within the annex of the thirteen section of the Treaty of Versailles, which I may remind the honoured delegates that Brazil is a signatory of. The Convention ensures the introduction of a limited eight-hour work day for certain industries.

The eight-hour work day is, again, not a radical or extreme proposal. This Convention has already been ratified and introduced into law by nations from our friends in the Republic of Chile and our ancient kinsmen in Portugal to the more exotic, such as the Tsardom of Bulgaria and the British Raj in India. Add to that that even more primitive states such as Japan and Persia have limited eight-hour work days in some areas, that major Latin American countries such as Mexico have introduced it, and that in some parts of New Zealand and Australia these regulations have bene in place form the mid-19th century and on...

And let me remind you that the first ever nation to introduce a complete, national eight-hour work day was none other than our southern neighbour, little Uruguay, under the wise leadership of President José Batlle y Ordóñez, all the way back in 1915. And all of these countries? Honourable delegates, each and every one of them have found the eight-hour work day to have strongly positive social and economic effects. Let us not be a lesser nation than our neighbours, shall we?

Thank you.

Bill to Ratify Hours of Work Convention of 1919

Whereas the Republic of the United States of Brazil has already agreed to a national five-day work week,

Whereas the industrial workers of Brazil should not endure conditions less favourable than those in other countries,

Whereas the International Labour Organisation and the League of Nation, to which the Republic of the United States of Brazil belongs, has for the past decade championed the introduction of a limited eight-hour work day,

• Section 1. The Republic of the United States of Brazil shall accede to the Hours of Work (Industry) Convention of 1919, as defined by the League of Nations here.

• Section 2. This assembly calls upon the Most Excellent Mr. President of the Republic and the Honourable Government of the Republic of the United States of Brazil to speedily take measures to ensure that the Republic deposits its instrument of ratification and that the provisions of the aforementioned Convention enters into national law.

• Section 3. This bill shall go into effect thirty-one (31) days after passage.

[LordMoose]

the Partido Libertador gives its full support to this bill and will urge all our deputes to vote for this bill. we feel the need to reign in heavy industry to prevent the factory bosses from taking over peoples lives

[Red John]

After deliberation, we believe that instituting this bill is a wise course of action. Although we still yet suffer wounds from our civil war, damaging what little infrastructure we did possess, ultimately this bill will be a driving force of good for our ailing workers in Brazil, and will hopefully foster not only economic development through increased worker morale, but also free up more leisure time for our workers - acting as a driving force for the economy.

With this in mind, we support this bill and hope that results prove to be as satisfactory as we expect them to be - even if we might suffer some short term pain adjusting.

[acecipher]

We support this measure to its fullest extent; we will join with the leading powers of the world in respecting the rights of our people in ensuring their access to leisure, stimulating economic growth and increasing the health and wealth of our workers.

[Westar]

We believe that these are basic rights deserved by all Brazilians and an important step to show all nations of the world that Brazil is first rate country and no longer a fading shadow of a colonial power.

[Flamelord]

At this time it is my belief that the institution of the Convention would do more harm to the Brazilian economy than it would good at this point in time. Limiting the access to labor that our nation requires will harm the productivity of our economy and reduce the profits that will otherwise drive our own development.

We accept that there are some industries where this may not be a concern, but it is our belief that that can be handled on a case by case basis, and at the behest of those who currently operate within those fields to decide if they should implement an eight hour workday or not. We should not bind ourselves to an international treaty that obliges us to act in a way that may not be in our best interests.

That is why I cannot stand in support of this bill, and hope that others of a like mind will agree

[Smyg]

At this time it is my belief that the institution of the Convention would do more harm to the Brazilian economy than it would good at this point in time. Limiting the access to labor that our nation requires will harm the productivity of our economy and reduce the profits that will otherwise drive our own development.

We accept that there are some industries where this may not be a concern, but it is our belief that that can be handled on a case by case basis, and at the behest of those who currently operate within those fields to decide if they should implement an eight hour workday or not. We should not bind ourselves to an international treaty that obliges us to act in a way that may not be in our best interests.

That is why I cannot stand in support of this bill, and hope that others of a like mind will agree

Thank you, Your Excellency, for your commentary. We understand your viewpoint, but respectfully disagree. This bill does not concern the entirety of all workers, merely certain industries as said, and said industries have been proven to significantly economically benefit from an eight-hour work day, as proven both in Uruguay, the Soviet Union, the factories of Mr. Henry Ford in America, and across the world.

We thank the other delegates of this Chamber for their support, and hope to continue to see it in the Senate.

[Smyg]

Now that sufficient bipartisan support has been attained, we ask that this bill be moved to voting.

[Luc]

Sebastião do Rego Barros, President of the Chamber of Deputies

If there are no members of the house against it, we will now entertain an official vote on this bill.

[Smyg]

The Communist Party of Brazil (4) will naturally vote yes.

[Flamelord]

As we continue to maintain, the establishment of an eight hour workday is something that should be don by or at the behest of industry within Brazil, not something mandated by a binding international treaty that nations such as th USA have as of yt refused to sign.

As such, the Federal Union Party (93) votes No on the proposed bill.

[LordMoose]

Partido Libertador will vote YES with all 15 members

We feel that this bill will protect factory workers from the factory bosses

[Red John]

The Liberal Democratic Party (91) will vote yes.

[acecipher]

The Social Democratic Part (27) will vote Yes.

[Luc]

The Democratic Party (42) votes IN FAVOUR of this bill.

The Socialist Revolutionary Party (3) votes IN FAVOUR of this bill.

The Workers & Peasants Block (2) votes IN FAVOUR of this bill.