Georgina Saldierna and Andrea Becerril
La Jornada Newspaper
Wednesday, February 4, 2026, p. 5
Morena in the Senate yesterday rejected that the reform to reduce the working day to 40 hours is regressive, as the opposition claims. “This is a presidential initiative that consolidates labor rights,” commented the president of the Legislative Affairs Commission, Enrique Inzunza.
In response to questions from the Citizen Movement coordinator, Clemente Castañeda, who insisted that two days of mandatory rest be established, the Morenista recalled that the reform is gradual, as agreed with the worker-business representation.
Inzunza stressed that it is also false that the provisions in the Constitution for the payment of overtime hours are reduced, which will be paid double initially, and if they exceed 12, tripled.
At the beginning of the ordinary period of sessions, it opened the possibility that in the discussion of the secondary law the issue of two days of rest would be analyzed, which is not contemplated in the constitutional amendment, where what is established by the Magna Carta, at least one day of rest per week, is maintained.
The Morenista made it clear that his parliamentary group will support the Presidency’s initiative as it was sent, since it is the product of many months of work and could be achieved through responsible dialogue.
Regarding the critical route, he reported that next Tuesday the Constitutional Points and Legislative Studies Commissions will meet with the head of the Ministry of Labor, Marath Bolaños, and at the end they will analyze and put the draft opinion to a vote. The intention is to carry out the reform as soon as possible, he stressed.
Previously, Castañeda considered the regressive amendment of labor rights and said that “it gives a piece of cake,” since the reduction of the work day to 40 hours will come into force until 2030. In addition to this, one day of rest is maintained, instead of two, as demanded by various social actors.
The emecista gave a press conference in which he was accompanied by members of the National Front for the 40 Hours. Érick Huehuetzin, representative of the group, denounced that the initiative contemplates that overtime hours be paid double, when currently they are paid triple, and legalizes a scheme of 12 hours of work, when the current one is nine.
The senator from Jalisco maintained that it would be a historic error to approve the proposal in the terms proposed by the ruling bloc, which is why he called for reflection.
“We say with great respect to the majority: if they are assumed to be a progressive movement, then what must be put first are the rights of the people and, of course, of those who move this country, such as the workers of Mexico.”
He reported that he will formally propose to the Constitutional Points Commission the holding of a forum to listen to the points of view of organizations, groups and specialists on the subject.
