By Diego Oré and Aida Pelaez-Fernandez
MEXICO CITY, Feb 25 (Reuters) - Mexico has approved a bill to gradually reduce the workweek from 48 to 40 hours, although the reform, expected to be implemented from next year, increases weekly overtime and maintains only one rest day for every six worked.
With more than 2,226 work hours per person per year, Latin America's second-largest economy has the worst work-life balance in the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). The country, where around 55% of workers are employed in the informal sector, also has the lowest labor productivity and the lowest wages among the group's 38 member states.
The Chamber of Deputies approved the general outline of the bill late on Tuesday with the support of all 469 present in the 500-member Congress; none voted against. Deputies then went on to discuss the law's particular terms, approving them with 411 votes in favor.
The opposition had strongly criticized the reform during 10 hours of debate. The ruling party hailed its approval, which follows years of back-and-forth with business owners.
"Productivity is not measured by exhaustion. It is built with dignity," said ruling-party representative Pedro Haces, who also serves as the secretary general of the Autonomous Confederation of Workers and Employees of Mexico.
OPPOSITION SAYS THERE IS NO REAL REDUCTION IN WORKING WEEK
The opposition argued that the bill does not represent a real reduction of the workweek because it increases weekly overtime to 12 hours from nine and does not include a mandatory two days of rest for every five worked.
"The idea of the reform is not bad, but it is incomplete and was done in a rush," said Alex Dominguez, a lawmaker from the opposition PRI party.
The reform won general approval earlier this month in the Senate, where the ruling Morena party holds a strong majority.
"After more than 100 years without changes, Mexico will gradually phase out the 48-hour workweek," the Ministry of Labor said on X in the early hours of Wednesday.
President Claudia Sheinbaum introduced the proposal in December; it aims to reduce the workweek by two hours per year until 2030, benefiting some 13.4 million workers.
If the law is endorsed by more than half of Mexico's state legislatures, as is expected, the first two-hour reduction would be implemented in January 2027.
(Reporting by Diego Ore and Aida Pelaez-Fernandez; Writing by Brendan O'Boyle; Editing by Andrew Heavens and Philippa Fletcher)
