The reduction of the working week in Mexico from 48 to 40 hours will become a reality starting in 2026, confirmed the Secretary of Labor and Social Welfare, Marath Bolaños López, noting that the implementation will be gradual, with the goal of completing the change by January 2030.
In an interview with La Jornada, the head of the STPS (State Public Works and Public Works) explained that an inclusive process will be followed, gathering the voices of all sectors. To this end, national consultation forums will be held from June 2 to July 7 of this year, where workers, unions, employers, academics, and other social stakeholders will be able to participate.
A gradual reduction will be implemented: two fewer hours per year.
Bolaños López explained that the proposal contemplates reducing working hours by two per year starting in 2026. The goal is to reach 40 hours per week without affecting wages or acquired rights. This transition will also address the concerns of the business sector by establishing a system “with sensitivity and solidity,” said the official.
The secretary affirmed that President Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo’s commitment is to implement this change “as soon as possible,” but within a well-structured legislative framework. Therefore, it is not ruled out that the final proposal will be approved during the next regular session of Congress in September.
Consultation forums will be key to defining the mechanism
The STPS will soon announce how registration will be required to participate in the forums and what format they will take. The intention, according to Bolaños, is to achieve an orderly, participatory, and representative discussion that will allow for the generation of a solid initiative, “enriched by the views of each of the participants.”
Currently, there are at least ten initiatives on the working day in the Chamber of Deputies. Many of them agree on reducing working hours and guaranteeing two days of rest for every five days of work, but all agree that the process must be gradual.
Wages and other labor rights will not be affected.
The head of the STPS clarified that this reform does not imply a salary reduction or jeopardize previous labor achievements. On the contrary, he emphasized that the goal is to revalue the time of Mexican workers.
What we seek is a better quality of life,
— he asserted.
Source: elimparcial
