Rare in Latin America. The Chilean Parliament on Tuesday definitively adopted a law to reduce working hours from 45 to 40 hours per week. Chile joins Ecuador and Venezuela, the only other Latin American countries where the working week is 40 hours. It is 48 hours in Argentina, Bolivia, Colombia, Costa Rica, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay or Peru. And 44 hours in Brazil.
According to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), Latin America is one of the regions in the world with the highest annual working time and the highest informal economy. In Chile, 27.3 per cent of the workforce works in the informal sector, i.e. undeclared and therefore not subject to taxation.
"Pro Family Project"
Left-wing President Gabriel Boric congratulated himself on Twitter to be able to "finally celebrate (...) a pro-family project that aims for better living conditions for all." According to him, "improvements such as #40Heures are essential to bring us closer to a new, more just Chile and a more fulfilling life."
The bill, which had already been voted by the Senate, was approved by the Chamber of Deputies by 127 votes in favour, 14 against and 3 abstentions. The new law, to be signed into law by President Boric, will be implemented gradually. Within a year, the working week will be reduced to 44 hours, then 42 hours in the third year of implementation, and finally 40 hours after five years, with no reduction in pay.
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