After reducing working hours from 45 to 40, Chile will join Ecuador and Venezuela in having Latin America’s shortest workweek. The move marks a legislative victory for President Gabriel Boric.
Chile’s Congress on Tuesday approved a reduction in the workweek from 45 to 40 hours over five years.
The move paves the way for Chile to join Ecuador and Venezuela in having Latin America’s shortest workweek.
The bill, which had overwhelming support with 127 votes in favor and just 14 against, comes at a time when countries around the world like Britain and Spain are experimenting with further reducing weekly work hours .
“This is a project that will contribute enormously to our quality of life,” said Labor Minister Jeannette Jara.
Chile’s leftist President Gabriel Boric is expected to sign the bill into law.
Boric, who took office last year pledging an ambitious agenda of social and economic reforms, has suffered several setbacks, including voters rejecting a progressive new constitution and legislative defeat for a key tax bill.
But the workweek law constitutes a small victory for an administration that has been trying to shift the country away from its free-market constitution.
Source : dw
