Editorial Note: This article was rewritten using Artificial Intelligence (AI) based on original, verified sources. The accompanying images were upscaled with the assistance of AI. Any resemblance of figures in the images to real persons is entirely coincidental. Brands and logos depicted are the property of their respective owners and do not imply official endorsement or affiliation.
Yesterday, the Mexico City Congress unanimously approved three key reforms to the Federal Labor Law (LFT), designed to significantly improve worker rights and conditions. These reforms, which will be sent to the Union Congress for further parliamentary process, address personal time off, union democracy, and linguistic inclusivity in contracts.
Remunerated Personal Hours for Workers
The first dictamen, based on an initiative by legislator Pedro Haces Lago, introduces a new Chapter I Bis to Title Fourth of the LFT, establishing articles 133 Bis, 133 Ter, and 133 Quáter. This reform grants workers eight remunerated personal hours annually to attend to personal matters such as medical appointments, official procedures, or school meetings.
Deputy Juan Estuardo Rubio Gualito, President of the Labor, Work, and Social Welfare Commission, emphasized the importance of this measure. “These are common situations that are part of our personal and family responsibilities. However, for millions of workers, addressing any of these needs can mean losing part of their salary, receiving a sanction, or simply depending on the employer’s goodwill,” he stated.
These hours will be paid at the worker’s ordinary salary and will not affect vacations, seniority, attendance bonuses, punctuality, or any other benefits. They are also additional to existing permits and licenses recognized by labor legislation or collective bargaining agreements.
Strengthening Union Freedom and Democracy
The second dictamen modifies articles 373, 378, 685 Ter, 994, 1008, and 133 of the LFT. This reform aims to address historical vulnerabilities in union rights, such as “white unions” and collective contracts negotiated without worker consent. It has three main objectives:
- Prohibit anti-union discrimination: No worker can be penalized, dismissed, or have their employment conditioned for refusing to join a union or participate in its activities. “Affiliating or not affiliating with a union cannot become a reason for labor persecution. Union freedom cannot be exercised at the cost of losing employment,” Deputy Rubio Gualito underscored.
- Strengthen union democracy: This ensures workers can freely participate in decisions regarding their representation and collective rights, and reinforces accountability for the administration of union assets.
- Grant sanctioning powers to the Federal Center for Conciliation and Labor Registry: While the Center can verify compliance with various obligations, it currently lacks sufficient powers to impose administrative sanctions.
Employment Contracts in Indigenous Languages
The final dictamen modifies Fraction XXX of Article 132 of the LFT, guaranteeing that indigenous language speakers receive their employment contracts in their native language. This ensures they fully understand their salaries, benefits, work schedules, and obligations, thereby reducing labor exclusion, particularly among indigenous women.
Deputy Rubio Gualito highlighted the significance of this reform, noting that according to INEGI data, over seven million people speak an indigenous language, and approximately 866,000 of them do not speak Spanish.
Deputy Paula Alejandra Pérez Córdova, President of the Commission for Original Peoples and Neighborhoods, Resident Indigenous Communities, and Afro-Mexican Communities, also spoke in favor of the third dictamen. She affirmed that this reform represents a significant step towards more inclusive and respectful workplaces that value cultural diversity.
The unanimous approval of these three dictámenes by the Mexico City Congress marks a crucial step towards enhancing labor rights and promoting social justice within the workforce.
Source: https://www.congresocdmx.gob.mx/comsoc-aprueba-congreso-cdmx-tres-dictamenes-favor-base-trabajadora-7974-1.html
