Labor reforms under review in El Salvador and Mexico

In El Salvador, Labor Minister Rolando Castro confirmed that the Superior Labor Council (CST) is evaluating proposals for labor modernization. One proposal suggests increasing the daily workday to 12 hours to allow for a longer weekend. The primary scheme under analysis is a 4/3 model—four working days followed by three days of rest. While this would maintain the current 44-hour weekly total by increasing daily shifts to 11 hours, labor unions have expressed concerns regarding physical and mental fatigue and the impact on family responsibilities.

In Mexico, Senator Francisco Daniel Barreda Pavón has proposed an initiative to mandate the Secretariat of Labor and Social Welfare (STPS) to publish quarterly reports on the effects of the country's gradual reduction of the workweek. Mexico is currently transitioning from a 48-hour week toward a 40-hour limit, with scheduled reductions reaching 40 hours by 2030. The proposal seeks to integrate data from various institutions to monitor indicators such as formal and informal employment, productivity, wages, and actual hours worked to ensure transparency during the transition.