A proposal to reduce the workday from 48 to 40 hours a week in Mexico has caused opposition among some business representatives who oppose the implementation of this labor reform.
This discussion took place on Monday during the first open parliament “Working days and rest days” in Chamber of Deputies.
The initiative aims to ensure that for every five days of work, workers receive at least two days of rest. The constitutional reform aims to amend Article 123 regarding days of rest from work, increasing it from one day of rest per week to two.
According to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), Mexico is one of the countries where the most hours are worked per year.. Mexicans work a total of 2,124 hours per year, more than countries such as Costa Rica (1,913), Russia (1,874) and Japan (1,598).
Labor reform will have an annual impact of 360 million pesos: CCE
Among the businessmen who expressed their concerns is Lorenzo Roel Hernandez, president of the Labor Commission Business Coordination Council (CSE).
Roehl called for the reform proposal not to be politicized and pointed out that the reduction in working hours would need to cover the 105 million hours per week currently worked by workers who work more than 40 hours.
This will mean the need hire 2.5 million employees on a reduced working day, which, in his opinion, would be practically impossible. In addition, he warned that the cost of overtime and rest days would rise. annual effect 360 billion pesos.
Santiago Irusteta Gallego, labor lawyer at Industrias Bachoco, stressed that if this reform is carried out abruptly, Companies will find it difficult to adapt to these changes.
He noted that this could have an impact on trade and investment, which could slow down. He also mentioned problems with payroll and the transition to shorter working hours. Irusteta advocated for the creation of true conversational tables based on reliable data to make informed decisions.
Deputies are looking for a “golden mean” in labor reform
As part of the debate on reducing the working day, deputies expressed different positions:
Deputy Manuel de Jesus Baldenebro Arredondo (Morena) stressed the need to find a middle ground in this debate and avoid polarization between good and bad. He stressed that this legislature will focus on supporting both businessmen as well as workers, including small entrepreneurs.
Representative Angelica Yvonne Cisneros Luján (Morena) stressed that the initiative aims to reduce the gap between rich and poor and improve working conditions for all workers in the context of social security and welfare.
For his part, Deputy Emmanuel Reyes Carmona (Morena) expressed his readiness to promote a comprehensive reform that will allow workers to rest on time, weighing the pros and cons.
Santiago Torreblanca Engell, PAN deputy, proposed reconciling the work and personal lives of workers without affecting formal work and Job creation. He suggested focusing on a flexible 40-hour workweek and protection of micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs).
Deputy Tereso Medina Ramirez (PRI) spoke in favor of a great inclusive social pact and called for thinking about work fewer hours, raising the intelligence and skills of workers. He stressed the importance of collective bargaining agreements in trade unions.
Reginaldo Sandoval Flores of the Labor Party stressed the need for discussion progressive reform and look for ways to improve the current situation.
Deputy Sergio Barrera Sepúlveda (VC) emphasized the importance of responsibility and listening to all voices, especially regarding the timing and implementation of the measure, given its impact on various industries and companies.
Source: Aristegui Noticias
Roy Brown is a renowned economist and author at The Nation View. He has a deep understanding of the global economy and its intricacies. He writes about a wide range of economic topics, including monetary policy, fiscal policy, international trade, and labor markets.
