Argentina Considers Cutting the Workweek: A Step towards Modernization

Argentina Considers Cutting the Workweek: A Step towards Modernization

Revamping Labor Laws: An Emerging Trend in Argentina

Argentina’s government is at the forefront of a project aimed at reducing the working week, a topic slated for discussion in the Chamber of Deputies. The Labor Legislation Commission, under the leadership of Deputy Vanesa Siley, will review seven proposals concerning the reduction of the workday. Five of these proposals are from the ruling party while the remaining two are from socialists and the Left Front.

Key figures participating in the discussion include Labor Minister Raquel ‘Kelly’ Olmos, Chilean Ambassador Bárbara Figueroa Sandoval, and Cristina Faciaben from Spain’s Comisiones Obreras. Representatives from trade union CGT, the two currents of the CTA (Workers and Autonomous), specialists from the Argentine Industrial Union (UIA), and members of the ‘7 de Julio’ Labor Lawyers’ Current, will also play vital roles.

International Workers’ Day and the Call for Change

On International Workers’ Day, the CGT made a compelling call for a reduction in the weekly working hours, currently set at 48. The union argued that the existing system is antiquated and that modern legislation should focus on creating more employment and better distributing the extraordinary benefits of capital.

In a previous meeting of the commission five months ago, a suggestion was made to cut working hours to a total of 40 hours per week. Deputy and leader of the Banking Association, Ormaechea, proposed a reduction to 36 hours. The objective is to reach an agreement on a project that includes texts presented by legislators from various blocks that could converge on an initiative to reduce the workweek from 48 to 40 or 36 hours, thereby improving productivity and generating employment.

A New Shift: 6-Hour Workday and 30-Hour Workweek

One of the proposals under consideration suggests a 6-hour workday and a 30-hour workweek, as opposed to the current 8-hour workday and 48-hour workweek. The necessity for this change is rooted in the influence of emerging technologies on the nature of work. The legislator insists on the urgency to modify regulations to keep up with evolving realities. This proposition is compared with other Latin American countries like Ecuador and Chile, which have reduced their work weeks to 40 hours, while Colombia and Brazil have set the maximum limit between 42 and 44 hours.

The significance of the debate is underscored, stating that it is crucial to modernize labor laws to resonate with the new realities of the global work environment.

Impact on Job Creation and Support from Key Figures

Deputy Mónica Litza spoke about the potential impact of the measure on job creation, emphasizing that the rule will be supplemented by other measures, such as the implementation of a social inclusion development plan. Labor Minister Kelly Olmos expressed similar sentiments, suggesting that the reduction should be gradual and ideally reach 40 hours per week, possibly first reducing from 48 to 44 hours, then eventually to 40 hours.

The initiative has also gained the support of the Minister of Economy and presidential candidate Sergio Massa. The debate is viewed as an essential step in aligning Argentina’s labor laws with global trends. The proposed reforms aim to create a more balanced work-life dynamic, increase productivity, and generate additional employment opportunities. However, the success of this proposed legislation will ultimately depend on its implementation and acceptance by the Argentine workforce and the wider business community.