Colombia: debate over potential reduction of working hours from 48 to 40 per week

On 4 December, the Colombian senate approved a bill put forward by former president Alvaro Uribe, who was in power from 2002 to 2010, that would reduce weekly working time from 48 to 40 hours. The bill proposed by the senator from the Democratic Center party goes beyond an initial proposal to cut the working week dow to 45 hours. It provides for wage maintenance and relies on the hope that productivity will increase. The 40 hours of work could be spread over 5 or 6 days, depending on the company agreement in place, but must respect a minimum of one day of rest per week and limit working time to 9 hours in any single day. The text also provides for a staggered reduction in working time: 45 hours in the first year, 42 in the second and 40 from the third year onwards. Employers would be free to transition immediately to a 40-hour week if they so choose. Although the current president Ivan Duque is from the same party as Alvaro Uribe, the Colombian government has declared itself in opposition to the bill, pointing to the potential “adverse effects” on production and labour costs. The proposed law is expected to be studied by the House of Representatives in the near future.