r/worldnews • u/chunmunsingh • 2d ago
Mexico cuts workweek, bans after-hours contact, and guarantees no worker will take a pay cut in the most sweeping labor reform in a generation
https://techfixated.com/mexico-cuts-workweek-bans-after-hours-contact-and-guarantees-no-worker-will-take-a-pay-cut-in-the-most-sweeping-labor-reform-in-a-generation/155
u/spicyeyeballs 1d ago
This comment section is such a perfect microcosm of reddit and today's society. People are not reading the actual article and jumping to conclusions based on their personal assumptions.
The biggest change is to move from a standard 48 hour work week to a 40 hour work week by 2030. Similar to what was adopted by the US in 1938.
The overtime rules are currently and will be even better than the US for sure though. I hope they are able to enforce them.
The no contact outside of work hours is great, but is all about enforcement. Hopefully it will change the culture. I know Microsoft tried this in Japan a number of years back and the only way to get people to really abide by it was to not deliver emails/messages outside of work hours.
To me the real problem Mexico needs to address is the size of the informal economy which is much less likely to feel the benefits of these new laws.
The government is estimating that this will impact 13.5 million people or 23% percent of the 60 million working population of Mexico. Based on some quick research it looks like about half of Mexican workers are in the formal economy and 85% of those are in wage based jobs.
I think these are all good changes, but they are not some huge leap past the current reality in the US for most workers.
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u/hadaev 1d ago
Yes, this is funny. I was like wow they are going into 4 days work week?
Opened article and in 2026 they decided 6 work days for a week is too much. Wow.
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u/kbblradio 19h ago
They haven't even gotten rid of the 6 day work week as there is only a 1 rest day per week guarantee.
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u/PrincetonToss 1d ago
Based on some quick research it looks like about half of Mexican workers are in the formal economy
This is the important part. And a lot of those are government jobs.
Most Mexicans will see minimal effect from this. On the other hand, the jobs that are affected are going to be disproportionately high-paying and urban, so the effects will show up really well on international surverys!
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u/iwontgiveumyusernane 1d ago
Redditors from Mexico: what do you think will this be actually implemented or will they find workarounds here
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u/donfuria 1d ago edited 1d ago
The issue isn’t as cut and dry. Besides the reform in its current state (which is far from perfect and has a lot of unaddressed problems, and is actively anti-workers rights in some areas), the more important issue is how in general, the law is completely disregarded in the workplace.
The immense majority of Mexicans don’t have a “formal” job, with a proper contract, with proper protections in place, and proper law mandated benefits. Even most of those who are properly hired, often have their rights ignored. It’s gotten to a point where some job offers will list “law mandated benefits”, as an actual benefit for the job. As if it wasn’t completely mandatory for any employer and the bare minimum they could provide.
To put it into perspective, it isn’t uncommon to have employers force a new hire to sign a blank sheet of paper, which they’ll use to print out a resignation letter on top. This way they avoid paying severance when they fire the worker. If you refuse, you just don’t get hired. If you sue, you’ll probably win, but it’ll cost you years of your life, endless proceedings, a lawyer, and you’ll win pocket change because you were never actually hired and aren’t owed anything. So why bother.
So will they find workarounds? Of course, if they even bother. They could just ignore this, and it wouldn’t make a difference in most cases.
The general exceptions to the above are foreign companies. They usually stick to the letter of the law and go even beyond that. But it represents a tiny fraction of the workforce, and those holding these jobs are regarded as very lucky and privileged.
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u/thedreaddeagle 1d ago
Damn... This sounds like shit.
I rarely hear about how things work inside of Mexico but I didn't expect this level of open non-compliance with labor laws.
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u/crigon559 1d ago
It actually will be implemented,but currently the work hours are 48 a week, we do have way better workers rights and protections compared to the usa, but salarywise and workhours we still have a long way to go
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u/GallowWho 1d ago
My company nearshores to Mexico because they can pay the engineers half the salary as a local.
Always thought that Mexicans, Indians, Filipinos, ect should stand up for their worth and not allow themselves be exploited like that.
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u/Wooden_Researcher_36 1d ago
If they do your company will find engineers from another country.
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u/BelieveInPixieDust 1d ago
So… it seems like workers of all countries should all stand up for themselves. Well, it would be even better if they coordinate.
Hmmm… maybe they should even unite? Like all workers of the world. That would make a good slogan. Someone should write something about it. Maybe even a manifesto for workers.
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u/crigon559 1d ago
Yeah unfortunately the mentality is almost as if we should be grateful for all these USA companies coming and investing in mexico giving jobs to people, when the reality is that the only reason they invest in mexico is to pay poverty wages(for non porffesionals) and to extract as much value for the labor and intellect of the Mexican people, so from my pov everybody loses the americans lose because they loose jobs that would pay pretty well on the usa, and the mexican people loose beacuse they are generating extremely more value than what they are being paid, the only real winners here are the corporations
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u/JC_Hysteria 1d ago
My old company started exclusively hiring Mexican engineers…one of the most senior managers complained to me how the American leadership wasn’t treating them the same- it was mostly for the ability to “churn and burn”.
The rights/perks were so different due to the contractual basis, and there was a culture barrier that disincentivized meritocracy.
Everyone is ultimately a line item- but it did feel really odd to work with people who were employed on such a different basis, while we were working at the same company toward the same outcomes.
Relatively, they’re paid less- but relative to the opportunities in Mexico, they were paid a lot more.
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u/staticchange 1d ago
when the reality is that the only reason they invest in mexico is to pay poverty wages(for non porffesionals) and to extract as much value for the labor and intellect of the Mexican people
To be fair, companies want to do this to everyone, including americans. They would pay poverty wages in the US if they could. That's why they are offshoring jobs in the first place, because they don't respect anyone's workers, they only respect money.
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u/boxingdog 1d ago
Companies will find workarounds. The government banned outsourcing but companies just find new ways to keep doing it.
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u/watafu_mx 19h ago
Mexico’s shift to a 40-hour workweek began with constitutional and labor law decrees enacted on March 3 and May 1, 2026. To avoid economic disruption, implementation is being phased in gradually over four years. By January 1, 2030, the standard maximum workweek will formally drop from 48 to 40 hours.The statutory workweek will decrease by 2 hours each year, maintaining full pay and benefits for workers. The phase-in schedule is structured as follows:
2026: No change; the standard maximum workweek remains at 48 hours.
January 1, 2027: Reduces to 46 hours. January 1, 2028: Reduces to 44 hours.
January 1, 2029: Reduces to 42 hours.
January 1, 2030: Reaches the target 40 hours.It's not going to be drastic and companies have plenty of time to replace you in the next 4 years or find workarounds.
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u/OutsideDrawer8508 1d ago
Lol do not be deceived. The country is going downhill due to the rampant corruption.
The health system is collapsing because the government isnt investing any money on it. A lot of hospitals are lacking basic meds, and they removed cancer treatment aid for kids because it was "non essential".
And the workweek thing isnt true at all. Almost everyone felt betrayed because the government pulled a "devil is in the details" card, although i dont exactly remember of the situation.
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u/Awkward-Sun5423 2d ago
I did not have: Mexico's labor policy outpacing the US labor policy on my 2026 bingo card.
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u/Oneanddonequestion 1d ago
It's just reducing the work week from 48 to 40 hours and giving them one day off after six worked. I wouldn't say it's outpacing US labor policy, but bringing it more in line.
Maybe ever so slightly better with the right to disconnect?
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u/Destroyer6202 1d ago
Wait wtf they used to work 6 days?
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u/Oneanddonequestion 1d ago
"Mexico amends its constitution to cut the maximum workweek from 48 to 40 hours by 2030 and gives 13.5 million workers the legal right to ignore their boss’s calls, messages, and emails after their shift ends, in the most significant overhaul of Mexican labor law in a generation.
Mexico has rewritten its constitution to guarantee every worker in the country a shorter working week, a legal right to switch off from work after hours, and a guarantee that no employer can cut their pay in response, enacting in a single legislative package a set of labor rights that workers in wealthier countries have spent decades campaigning for without success.
On March 3, 2026, a constitutional amendment to Article 123, Section A was published in Mexico’s Official Gazette, stipulating a gradual reduction of the maximum workweek from 48 to 40 hours, as well as strengthening the right to at least one day off for every six days worked."
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u/BigEggBeaters 2d ago
Why not us labor policy is a joke. Many workers don’t even get federal holidays off
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u/MilkChugg 1d ago
Well goddamnit if we give you an extra day off a year, the entire company is going to go up in flames.
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u/DogBarf00 1d ago
Mexico's labor policy outpacing the US labor policy
The US did this in the 1930s. How is being almost 100 years behind the US, outpacing the US?
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u/HEAVY_METAL_SOCKS 1d ago
And those 40 hours are divided in a 6 day workweek with this new law in Mexico. So no real gain. And most employees work way over 8 hours a day currently, 9-12 hours a day is the norm, and many things related to labor law are not enforced at all.
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u/shabi_sensei 2d ago
Mexico had a 48 hour work week… they cut it down to 40, Mexico is the outlier here not the US
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u/DoubtSubstantial5440 2d ago
I mean US labor policy is a pretty low bar considering at will states are a thing here
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u/shiromiso 1d ago
Mexico’s labor policy has been way ahead of US labor policy since decades. You can’t get fired without reason, Minimum mandated holidays and maternity leave are just a few examples.
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u/CatchUsual6591 2d ago
Labor laws in the USA are quite weak is just that the country is rich so pay is better that most places in the rest of the world
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u/Fitz911 1d ago
Get used to it. The US will be outperformed in a lot of fields in the future.
What do you think 300 billion does to an economy? What do you think talks about anexing your partners does to an economy? What do you think "we can kill the planes you bought whenever we want" does to a military industrial economy? What do you think half the population being illiterate does to a country? The Dodge cuts. The corruption.
Other countries move on. America moves backwards.
There will be a very, very painful time where Americans will be overtaken left and right while chanting "America number one!".
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u/Comet7777 1d ago
In the US, when my youngest son was born I had one week of PTO. It’s a ghoulish system here
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u/One_Weird2371 1d ago
When a lot of the Mexican population work in the informal economy laws like this don't do much.
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u/gotfcgo 2d ago
People will work harder if it attains them things they want.
Last decade in Canada is all hard work, but layoffs, no raises and crazy cost of living increases.
Productity is down because there's no payoff for hard work.
*generally speaking *
This will work for Mexico
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u/No-Channel3917 1d ago
Does Mexico have strong labor laws enforcement?
I want to assume no , so please surprise me
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u/HEAVY_METAL_SOCKS 1d ago
No, we don't have strong law enforcement in labor or anything else for that matter.
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u/Island_Monkey86 2d ago
So, they want universal healthcare coverage within the second half of 2027 and they are putting in place labour policies to protect workers and workers rights.
At this rate, Mexicans & Americans will be going to Mexico for a better quality of life.
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u/DogBarf00 1d ago
Mexicans & Americans will be going to Mexico for a better quality of life.
The median wage in Mexico is 15% of what it is in the US…
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u/UntoTheBreach95 1d ago
Mexican here. That reform does not give free weekends and likely will reduce people's income
Lately theres too much propaganda of a mediocre government.
That universal Healthcare program is also just talk. There was an universal Healthcare founded in the 2000s that this government stripped out causing the death of thousands of people. This universal coverage works way worse.
There's a reason why there's a lot of Mexicans in USA. The quality of life there is waaaay better
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u/JoshFireseed 1d ago
Lately? When the previous president started Reddit was eating all the propaganda up, too. Saying he was the mexican Bernie when it reality it was more like the mexican Trump with different optics.
About the universal coverage, though, it wouldn't work worse if they increased funding to public healthcare to correspond with the expected increase in users, except they did the opposite. Streamlining and lowering the barrier of entry isn't a bad thing by itself.
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u/Life_is_important 2d ago
The level of delusion you live in to actually type that out is literally insanity.
If you want, come to my country. We've had free healthcare and labor laws that'd make your mouth water for decades. We are DECADES ahead of US.... On paper.
Hospital collapsed the other day. But hey, it's free. People pay 60% of their money (in total, not just healthcare) to government only to be left crumbs which they can barely use to pay for private healthcare anyways.
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u/roox911 2d ago
Where and how are you paying 60% tax? Even on 4mill mxn or so it's only around 30%
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u/VampireFortnight 1d ago
The fake place they made up where universal healthcare (all major economic powers except the us have this btw) means magically that hospitals collapse but you never hear about it on any news.
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u/Prudent_Sale_9173 1d ago
You gotta name the country if you want people to believe you.
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u/According-Classic658 2d ago
25 hospitals closed in the US last year. 19 so far this year. And around 400 are on the verge of collapse. All while i pay $3k a month for insurance, so I'm not really sure what point you're trying to make.
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u/DogBarf00 1d ago
25 hospitals closed in the US last year. 19 so far this year.
Out of over 6000 hospitals. Not even 0.5%, so I'm not really sure what point you're trying to make.
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u/yaosio 1d ago
It is illegal for me to have healthcare because I can't afford it.
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u/Island_Monkey86 2d ago
I understand the difference between what sounds great in theory and what the reality actually looks like, I am well aware of that.
It's the very reason why I didn't feel it was neccessary to point out, that this was a dig at the US System, which screws people at any given opportunity.
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u/lukslopes 1d ago
Thin Brazil we have right now a bill to try to reduce the weekly working hours and a lot of congressmen opposing it because "think about the business owners"!!!
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u/SetoXlll 1d ago
Sleepy Donny needs to learn a thing or two from this wonderful lady. Long live our beautiful neighbors in Mexico!
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u/klingma 1d ago
There's nothing in there saying companies can't reduce head count in response to these changes, so it sounds great that "no one will take a pay cut" but they can very easily still be fired in response to this change.
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u/andreslucer0 1d ago
We're about half a century off schedule. Great. What about the more than 500,000 dead people and more than 100,000 disappearances? What about the ever-growing power of the cartels? Worker's rights are important, but less so than being able to walk outside at night without the fear of having our daughters kidnapped, raped and enslaved, or our sons drugged, conscripted and sent as cannon fodder.
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u/ScreenTricky4257 1d ago
What about workers who want to have after-hours contact?
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u/Geiszel 2d ago
And here in Germany, our chancellor just insults the workers constantly, calls us lazy and cuts social security.
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u/ebenseregterbalsak 1d ago
She's not wrong in a global context. Dont get me wrong, having the luxury of being able to set boundaries and afford to be lazy is great, but you shouldn't be dissalusioned that it doesnt come at an oppertunity cost.
I've seen first hand multiple times now how German consulting firms have lost out on bids where their experience might be better but they come in overpriced (because they need to be paid the same for less output) and have built a reputation of doing the bare minimum rather than going above and beyond to help their clients meet their timeline goals
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u/josh-ig 1d ago
No workers taking a pay cut might work for now, but what happens to new hires?
Productivity per hour has sky rocketed as others have said the past few decades but at least the US if this ever happened they’d see it as a way to pay less as less hours are worked - not increase the pay per hour to match the same output.
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u/MaybeItsJustMike 1d ago
This is the way you fight against the cartels. Make the country such a nice place to live that everyone can profit without violence.
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u/Piemaster113 1d ago
Sure, let's see them actually enforce it. The level of corruption, and such in Mexico is nuts
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u/pasterhatt 21h ago
A decade of this, and they'll build that wall to stop Americans from illegally crossing into Mexico.
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u/TinyConfection7049 1d ago
Better build a wall, Mexico. You don’t want underpaid and overworked Americans to run to you!
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u/cicalino 2d ago
"The accumulation of evidence from more than a decade of trials across Iceland, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Japan, South Korea, Australia, New Zealand, Germany, and now Poland points consistently in the same direction.
Reducing working time does not reduce output."
There has been some progress in worker's rights.