Baja California Governor Marina Avila congratulated Mexico’s President after the announcement of the minimum wage increase
Baja California Governor Marina Avila applauded the announcement made Thursday by Mexican officials to increase the minimum wage by 20 percent.
The announcement was made in Mexico City during a press conference led by President Andrés Manuel López Obrador.
In border areas, the minimum wage will go up to the equivalent of $16.42 USD in Mexican currency per day. In the rest of the country the minimum wage will increase to little over $10 USD per day.
The governor recalled that studies made by the National Council of Social Development Policy Assessment has put Baja California among the top five among the Mexican states with the least food poverty.
Gov. Avila said the presidential decision will keep Baja California as one of the states with the best quality of life in Mexico.
Recent studies show the number of high wage jobs have decreased while low-wage employment has climbed. Also, the state has recorded price increases lately not seen in decades.
“Increasing the minimum wage will provide (employees) with more income for their work,” the governor said in a prepared statement.
High wage jobs decline
The number of high wage employees in Mexicali declined during the third quarter of the year, a Mexican agency report states.
According to the National Employment and Occupation Survey of the National Institute of Statistics and Geography said Mexicali employees who earn five minimum wages or more fell 39.7 percent compared to the third quarter of 2021.
The survey says the number of high wage employees declined from 8,866 last year to 5,350.
These employees earn about $68.51 in Mexican currency per day at the US border.
Those who earn between three and five minimum wages decreased 19.7 percent while employees with salaries between two and three minimum wages fell 14.4 percent.
At the same time, the survey says one or two minimum wage employees increased 23 percent.
According to the report over 198,000 Baja California residents earn around $14 per day.
Unemployment during the third quarter was 2.4 percent, the survey says.
State to implement Christmas bonus enforcement
A state official said the payment of the Christmas bonus named Aguinaldo.
State Secretary of Labor Alejandro Arregui said in a prepared statement the agency plans to work similarly as occurred with the historic payment of the May bonus named utilidades in Spanish. Such bonus is based on company net income.
That bonus saw an increase of 87 percent compared to last year, Sec. Arregui said.
“The success of this indicator is related to the excellent coordination from the agency with employers to bring awareness about legal mandates,” the secretary said.
Mexico’s labor law sets the Christmas bonus payment deadline on Dec. 20.
Employees are entitled to a payment equivalent to at least 15 days of work.
Mexicali leads country in inflation rates
Mexicali recorded a 5.48 percent yearly inflation rate during the first half of November, leading the nation’s cities.
The National Institute of Statistics and Geography said the Mexican Consumer Price Index increased here 0.56 percent compared to the first half of November 2021.
Major price increases were reported in nonalcoholic beverages, furniture and home items, alcohol, tobacco, clothes shoes, healthcare, restaurants and other goods and services.
On these items, prices increased from 4.48 percent to 13.10 percent, the report says.
Items with the lowest increase included utilities like water rates, energy and gas, according to the institute’s report.
Te puede interesar: Governor’s approval rate declines
