40-hour work week, gradual, flexible and by sector, the desired implementation

The path to a 40-hour workweek in Mexico officially began. On June 19, the first forum convened by the Ministry of Labor and Social Welfare (STPS) was held to develop a project to gradually reduce working hours.

At the forum, the first of seven planned, representatives from businesses, unions, academics, and international organizations presented their proposals for achieving the 40-hour workweek , one of the commitments made by President Claudia Sheinbaum.

Of all the issues raised, there were three elements on which consensus was reached: gradual reduction in working hours, flexible application of the standard, and sectorization of changes; that is, each industry should have specific rules based on its operations and activities.

"A progressive reduction in working hours , accompanied by complementary measures, is definitely the most responsible and effective way to properly implement the positive objectives of the reform, avoiding negative impacts on the economy or an inflationary effect due to increased production costs and shortages caused by a potential lack of personnel to produce and distribute," said Francisco Cervantes, president of the Business Coordinating Council.

In his speech, he also proposed making workday reductions more flexible, not just on a weekly basis, but also on a daily, biweekly, or monthly basis , and considering hour banks, overtime, and the deductibility of benefits.

Ana María Aguilar, executive director of the Mexican Business Council (CMN), agreed with this when expressing the concern of business owners about the levels of informality. The business representative said that reducing working hours will not have a negative effect if done gradually and by sector .

" Each sector has its own unique set of working hours, flexible schedules, and shifts. It's important to understand that each sector has its own restrictions; flexibility in the regular workday and overtime must be considered, as well as the non-deductibility of some benefits, which are legally required," he added.

Gradually yes, but over two years

The unions supported the gradual implementation of the workday, but within a two-year timeframe, a faster transition than the federal government's goal of 2030.

"It would be very good news for Mexican workers if this gradual implementation were implemented over a two-year period . Each sector should have time to adapt without affecting productivity or jobs. It would also be good news if this issue were elevated to constitutional reform and established two days of rest for every five days worked," said Tereso Medina, deputy general secretary of the Confederation of Workers (CTM).

In addition, the union representative proposed the creation of a Saturday bonus to compensate for the additional effort of those working that day.

A similar position was shared by Napoleón Gómez Urrutia, federal deputy and leader of the National Union of Mining, Metallurgical and Similar Workers of the Mexican Republic (SNTMMSRM), who supported gradualness, but for 2027 .

"I propose a clear, gradual, and viable path . In 2025, we will establish a legislative and technical commission to study the legal, economic, and operational impacts. In 2026, the initial reduction will be four hours, with tax incentives for companies that adopt the reform, and in 2027, a reduction of another four hours will be achieved with technical support, training, and ongoing evaluation," he said.

Another point of agreement between unions and the business sector was the creation of a tripartite body to monitor and evaluate the implementation of the reduction in working hours.

Labor costs are not an impediment

Saúl Escobar Toledo, a professor at UNAM, asserted that labor costs in Mexico are still low—for example, salaries are still below two basic food baskets—so there is room to reduce work hours . "In Mexico, the workdays are very long and the income is very low."

He added that the global trend is for countries to work less ; for example, in Europe, the average workday is 32 hours, while in Latin America, the hours are still long.

For his part, Juan Carlos Moreno Brid, a UNAM academic, stated that without economic growth, it is difficult to achieve income redistribution.

"We need to bring to the table what macroeconomic policy and development agenda the country needs to make things like the 40-hour labor reform sustainable."