In the blink of an eye, Chile's political and social landscape took a 180º turn, at least for those who watch what is happening from other countries and who have been oblivious to their underlying processes.Since mid-October, the government of Sebastián Piñera faces a deep crisis that has not only left him between a rock and a hard place, but also put on the table the discussion about how to reconfigure an economic framework that, in the streets, is criticized for its inequality.In this context, it was not surprising that this Thursday the Chamber of Deputies approved the draft Law of the opposition that reduces the working day to 40 hours per week, an initiative that has wide support among Chileans. The project, presented by the communist deputies Camila Vallejo and Karol Cariola obtained 88 votes in favor, 24 against and 27 abstentions.This is a key advance, which opens the door for the new law framework to be approved in no more than 60 days, according to the trans-Andean sources consulted by iProUP and estimates made by opposition lawmakers.On the future of the initiative, Vallejo herself comments: "We have been talking with the senators, they have shown will, but we also need to give us certain clarities regarding how long they are going to take, because we can not wait much longer.""The proposed law is gradual for one year for large companies and five years for small and medium-sized companies. It will begin to govern next year, although the exact date will depend on the Senate and also on the Government. If you want to take it to the Constitutional Court obviously, the promulgation will be delayed, "adds the Chilean deputy.In addition to the regulations promoted by Vallejo, a strong opponent of the Piñera government, the ruling party also has its own labor reform plan, which iProUP already realized. That counterproposal is based on the following central points:- Reduces the weekly day from 41 to 45 hours "average" (the Vallejo project refers to a maximum of 40 hours per week)- Maintains the monthly total at 180 hours (the opposition initiative decreases it to 160 hours)- Flex the schedule according to the employee-employer agreement (the other initiative maintains the current stiffness)- Poses four days of work plus three days off (Vallejo establishes five days of 8 hours or six of 6 hours and fraction)- It will be applied progressively (the proposal promoted by the PC seeks immediate application in large companies and gradually in SMEs)In addition to the flexibility of the working day, the official project includes other measures:- Bag of overtime: similar to the "bank of hours" applied by Mercado Libre in Argentina (an extra amount of time is agreed for times of high demand that is later compensated with additional vacation days)- The possibility of agreeing between the employee and the company the start and end times of the day- The option in favor of the employee to reduce lunch time to advance their departure time- The chance to adapt the day in periods of family vacationsSocial humor exerts a strong pressure on Parliament. At a time when the tension in the streets does not decay, a law that contends all parties is presented as the best political solution to a crisis that nobody could foresee.Currently, Chile has the fifth longest working day of the OECD member countries (Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development), placing itself behind Mexico, Costa Rica, South Korea and Greece, and at the same level as Russia."The Government must assist with a proposal with a technical basis to prevent the opposition alternative from being approved shortly," warns iProUP an important source that maintains permanent dialogue with the main trans-Andean politicians."Ultimately, the government plan gives companies the possibility to adapt and make more flexible schedules without paying more. On the other hand, if an employee works 8 hours instead of 12, he does not charge the other four. In this regard he has the vision of the employer and that is why it has the support of the business chambers, "the source tells iProUP.Another source familiar with the trans-North American politics remarks that this initiative is far from being one more among many. Rather, it is part of a battle that Piñera needs to win so that he does not drop the "Work Modernization" plan presented in May.The Argentine caseIn Argentina, 70% of employees maintain a traditional scheme, according to Randstad data provided to iProUP. That is, he attends his offices at regular times. However, eight out of 10 says that with a flexible agreement they would improve creativity, productivity and the level of satisfaction with the company.After the primary elections, the possibility of advancing in a new labor law project remained in standby. In fact, it is a subject that is avoided by its thorny character.Miguel Acevedo, president of the Industrial Union, says he talked about the issue with Alberto Fernández. However, Matías Kulfas, a reference for the candidate of the Front of All, was responsible for breaking down an advance in this regard."What you have to do is work sector by sector and see where you can improve," says Kulfas. On the contrary, experts agree that the current legislation must be completely revised since it dates back to the 1970s when the computer had not yet been created.Jorge Figueroa, director of Public Affairs and Sustainability of Randstad, says: "The new forms of work have to do with schemes adaptable to the new generations. Argentina has legal clothing that does not adapt to these labor relations, which raises the risk that many people are left out and unprotected. "In this regard, Figueroa remarks that the pejorative burden of the flexibility concept must be removed. "You have to talk in terms of‘ flexi-inclusion ’, to effectively ensure the inclusion of people, with decent work, in which they are insured and that coverage can be carried with them," he warns.The labor lawyer Juan Carlos Cerutti, agrees on this point and exemplifies: "'Bank of hours' does not mean that a person works 48 hours in a row, but that he can do it until 12 and have another 12 rest, in addition to annualizing the day." However, he emphasizes that due to the current uncertainty "nobody is willing to discuss a reform"."These are things that are going to be able to talk and demystify. Anyone who wins, be it Macri or Fernández, will have to keep it in mind, in Parliament or in the reform of statutes," adds Cerutti.Solana De Diego, lawyer of the De Diego & Asociados study, points out that "this scenario is marking the urgent need to adapt the labor law, since we have the highest costs for the worker and, in turn, for companies, if we compare them with the rest of the region. "Collective agreements, an alternativePending a law that considers the changes mentioned above, there are several companies that already contemplate these policies under the premise that they will thus achieve a better working environment and an increase in productivity.Developed countries have regulatory frameworks that encourage work-life balance, with reduced working hours and home office options several days a week, depending on the type of work."We have a similar scheme to that of Spain, France and Italy, which is quite rigid. They are already adapting because they are a common market and have another dynamic. We face more difficulties," Figueroa emphasizes when panning about the local scheme "We must articulate appropriate public-private actions," he adds.For de Diego, "if there is no new labor law in the short term, collective agreements will become the path chosen by the companies themselves to face reforms."In that sense, he explains that "in some firms telecommuting already appears regulated. This scheme has been operating for more than a decade and we still do not have a specific regulation, only a resolution of occupational hazards that speaks of basic measures to be able to work remotely. "."We are now with a Labor Contract Law that speaks of 'hour by hour', when new technologies are for the fulfillment of objectives, so flexible days could be included without having a specific schedule, which is the trend of new generations "concludes the specialist.