RIO DE JANEIRO, June 20 (Xinhua) -- A labor reform bill proposed by the Brazilian government was rejected here on Tuesday by a vote of 10 to 9 at the Senate's Social Affairs Commission, suffering the first setback.
Three senators from the government coalition voted against the report.
It is one of President Michel Temer's main austerity reforms, along with the social security reform, to pull the Brazilian economy out of crisis. Both are highly controversial and have been criticized even by members of the coalition government.
The labor reform bill has been criticized for changing regulations in a manner which will be highly favorable to employers.
The bill, which was already approved by the House of Representatives, still has to be analyzed by the Senate's Constitution and Justice Commission and then the whole Senate. For final approval, the labor reform just needs a simple majority in the Senate.
President Temer, who is in Russia to attract foreign investors, downplayed the setback, saying it's the final voting of the bill that matters.
