The Mexican government has proposed a bill to reduce the working hours from 48 to 40 per week, without affecting the workers’ income. This initiative aims to improve the quality of life, health, and productivity of the workers, as well as to promote a better balance between work and family.
The bill, presented by the Secretary of Labor and Social Welfare, Luisa María Alcalde, would modify the Federal Labor Law and the Social Security Law, and would require the approval of the Congress and the employers’ associations.
According to Alcalde, the reduction of working hours would not imply a loss of competitiveness or economic growth, but rather an opportunity to modernize the labor market and adapt it to the new realities and challenges of the 21st century.
However, some experts have expressed doubts about the feasibility and impact of this proposal, especially in the context of the Covid-19 pandemic, which has affected the income and employment of millions of Mexicans.
One of the main questions is how the work schedules would be adjusted to comply with the 40-hour week. According to the bill, the workers and employers would have to agree on the distribution of the hours, which could be done in different ways, such as:
- Reducing the daily hours from eight to six, maintaining the six-day week.
- Reducing the weekly days from six to five, maintaining the eight-hour day.
- Implementing flexible or staggered schedules, allowing the workers to choose their entry and exit times, as long as they complete the 40 hours.
- Implementing remote work or telework, allowing the workers to perform their tasks from home or another place, with the supervision and evaluation of the employer.
The bill also establishes that the workers who exceed the 40-hour week would have the right to receive overtime pay, which would be calculated based on the minimum wage and not on the contracted salary.
The proposal of the labor reduction has generated different reactions among the workers, employers, and society in general. Some see it as a positive measure to improve the well-being and performance of the workers, while others fear that it could affect the productivity and profitability of the businesses, or that it could lead to more informal or precarious work.
Source: Fox Sports
