Mexico: Working Week Reduced from 48 to 40 Hours

The Mexican Senate has approved a proposal to reduce the working week from 48 to 40 hours, despite objections.

The proposal, introduced by President Claudia Sheinbaum, was adopted with 121 votes and forwarded to the lower house for discussion and approval.

The reduction will be phased in by two hours annually until 2030, affecting approximately 13.4 million workers.

Opposition politicians and union leaders consider the bill to be moderate, arguing that it will not substantially reduce the burden on workers.

If approved, the reform will take effect on May 1, with the first reduction effective from January 2027.

Mexico has the most working hours in the OECD (2,226 annually) but low productivity and wages.