Background on Patricia Mercado and Her Relevance
Patricia Mercado, a diputada representing Movimiento Ciudadano (MC), has been advocating for the implementation of a 40-hour workweek in Mexico. Her efforts include a nationwide tour to promote the idea and gather support for this reform.
Private Sector’s Proposal and Mercado’s Stance
On a recent Monday, representatives from the private sector proposed capping overtime hours and reducing their cost to prevent it from becoming an excessive labor expense. However, Patricia Mercado firmly stated that reducing overtime pay is unacceptable.
Mercado’s Position on the Workweek Reform
In an interview with El Economista, Mercado emphasized that the 40-hour workweek should not be achieved through retrogression or by eliminating workers’ rights, such as overtime pay and vacation days. She highlighted the need to regulate rest periods during work hours, addressing issues of overwork and exploitation.
Legislative Process and Timeline
The Commission of Labor and Prevision Social in the Chamber of Deputies has outlined the path for discussing the 40-hour workweek reform. Mercado and her colleagues will await the Executive’s proposal to analyze and debate it between September and December of this year for approval.
Current Work Hours and Overtime Pay in Mexico
Mexico currently has a daytime shift of 8 hours, a night shift of 7 hours, and a mixed shift of 7.5 hours. Overtime pay is double the regular hourly wage for the first 9 hours and triple for any hours beyond that.
International Comparison of Full-Time Hours
According to the OECD, only 3% of people aged 15 to 64 in Mexico work full-time hours, compared to 19.1% in France, 11.30% in Canada, and 8.20% in the United States.
Key Questions and Answers
- What is Patricia Mercado’s stance on the proposed 40-hour workweek? Mercado insists that the reduction in the standard workweek should not come at the expense of workers’ rights, including overtime pay and vacation days.
- What is the current situation regarding full-time work hours in Mexico? In Mexico, the standard workweek consists of various shifts, with overtime pay structured as double the regular wage for the first 9 hours and triple for any hours beyond that.
- How does Mexico compare to other countries regarding full-time work hours? Based on OECD data, Mexico lags behind countries like France, Canada, and the United States in terms of the percentage of people aged 15 to 64 working full-time hours.
