December 12th, 2018

From 1 January 2019, Mexican government will establish two new minimum wages: a General minimum wage (SMG) consisting on daily 102.68 MXN and a Northern Mexico minimum wage of daily 176.72 MXN.

The Mexican Employers’ Confederation (Coparmex) confirmed the news in Mexico City and claimed it to be a ‘historical’ determination of the Representative Council of CEOS of the National Minimum Wage Commission (Conasami).

This achievement, which could not have been accomplished in 30 years of neoliberalism, seems a reality now after only 20 days of the new Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador’s mandate.

The entrepreneurs pointed out that with such measures the main goal is to reach the so-called Wellness level proposed by the National Council of social development politics (Coneval)

The current minimum wage was decreed consisting on daily 88.36 MXN through an Independent Amount of Recovery (MIR) of 9.43 MXN daily, considering a percentage adjustment of 5.0% (depending on inflation)

Furthermore, the Conasami decided to create a new salary economic zone in the municipalities located 25 kilometers to the north border and adjoining ones with a General Bordering Minimum Wage (SMG).

“Relying on the statements of the agreement, the 176.72 MXN SMG will be a reality as early as on January 1, 2019” Stated the Employers organization on an interview. Coparmex hinted at the fact that ‘besides the increases of 2016 and 2017, the Minimum wage could only provide 89% of the Personal wellness level fixed by Coneval’. ‘Despite, we can assure that the new Minimum Wage allows the laborers to satisfy the bare dietary and not dietary necessities of both rural and urban zones that count with the essential capacities of consumption’, they pointed out. Staff Redacción

Translator: Fabián Peñaloza