Competing for Skills, a Mistake

A leading university takes on the challenge of preparing professionals for Mexico’s upcoming mega-projects. Also, if you are trying to “compete” to get the best talent in your company, we recommend reading this week´s roundup first. In other news, bureaucrats in Mexico face difficult working situations, while a contentious court ruling is seemingly out to lower pension caps.

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Engineers and Technicians Are Ready for López Obrador’s Mega-Projects

The National Polytechnic Institute of Mexico (IPN) has developed two new academic units planned to start in August with training for skilled workers. This is crucial for the success of the government’s mega-projects: the Santa Lucia airport and the Mayan Train. The Center for Scientific and Technological Studies (CECyT) No. 19, named “Leona Vicario,” will be located in Tecámac, State of Mexico and could train 3,500 students.

Competing for Talent: Time to Reconsider

A recent survey by the World Economic Forum (WEF) showed that 80 percent of CEOs worry about finding the right talent to get the job done. It might seem like a prudent idea to hire the ideal candidate and paying them a hefty salary. However, Harvard Business Review explains that this is a mistake: it would be a much better idea to spend those resources on training. While there is a risk of employees leaving for a competitor it is ultimately worth the trouble, considering the costs of training are four times lower than headhunting an already skilled candidate.

Four Out of 10 Bureaucrats in Mexico Face Poverty and Job Insecurity

According to the Observatory of Dignified Work (OTD), 41 percent of government officials receive low wages, 16 percent lack social security and 25 percent go to work without having a secure contract. These figures worry the OTD, since government workers are not spared from violations against current labor laws. The private sector does not necessarily perform well, either: the economic sectors with the highest amount of violations against social security requirements are agricultural workers (85 percent), domestic workers (84 percent) and construction workers (70 percent).

Lowering the Pension Ceiling: What Does It Mean?

Rumors have spread about the potential decrease in pensions and this has Mexican workers on alert. However, director of the Mexican Institute of Social Security (IMSS), Zoé Robledo, guaranteed that the cap to pensions will be 25 times the minimum wage, not the rumored 10 minimum wages. He stressed that nobody is at risk and that there is no re-calculation. The reason for the unrest comes from The Supreme Court’s ruling that stated a cap of 10 minimum wages based on jurisprudence following “Law 73.” IMSS, nonetheless, does not have to follow jurisprudence to this degree, as this interpretation of the law would be detrimental to workers and as such be harmful to their rights.

15 Legal Cases in Which Workers Can Be Fired Without Compensation

From sexual harassment to false documentation, current legislation in Mexico showcases a number of causes for justified dismissal where an employer is not obligated to pay any form of compensation. Find the full list here.