Mexico prepares for 40-hour workweek by 2030 in major labour overhaul

"Productivity is not measured by exhaustion. It is built with dignity, said Pedro Haces, a Morena representative and the secretary general of the Autonomous Confederation of Workers and Employees of Mexico, a labour organisation."

"Set to begin next year, the reform offers a trade-off. While the total hours in a workweek are slated to decrease, the law permits employers to raise the amount of weekly overtime. It also fails to change the minimum number of rest days required."

"Mexico has Latin America's second-largest economy, with a gross domestic product of about $1.86 trillion, according to the World Bank. But critics argue that it has the worst work-life balance of any country in the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)."

Mexico's Chamber of Deputies approved legislation to incrementally lower the standard workweek from 48 to 40 hours, with implementation beginning in 2030 through two-hour annual reductions. The bill received overwhelming support with 469 of 500 deputies voting for the broad outline and 411 supporting specific terms after nearly 10 hours of debate. The reform aims to benefit approximately 13.4 million workers. However, critics express concerns that employers can increase weekly overtime hours to offset reduced standard workweek hours, and the law maintains the existing requirement of one rest day per six days worked. Mexico currently has the worst work-life balance among OECD countries, with workers averaging over 2,226 annual work hours.

Read at www.aljazeera.com