Economic Recession, Not AI, Tops Mexican Workers' Job Fears

A majority of Mexican workers consider economic recession and trade disputes as the primary risks to their job security, placing concerns over technological disruption like AI further down the list, according to the 2025 Edelman Trust Barometer.

77% of Mexican respondents identified a looming economic downturn as the main threat to their employment stability, followed by global trade conflicts (74%) and lack of training for new technologies (72%), which tied with concerns about foreign competition entering the local labor market.

A recent study titled North American Trade Integration and Risk: Sectoral Labor Force Exposure in Mexico to US Tariffs warns that the ongoing trade conflict with the United States could jeopardize more than 4.1 million jobs in Mexico, particularly within the manufacturing, agriculture, and mining sectors, writes MBN. 

“There is twice the likelihood of zero-sum thinking when people report high levels of grievance,” highlights the report.  This observation comes amid increasing expectations for companies to play a stronger role in ensuring job quality and training opportunities. The study found that 91% of Mexican respondents expect businesses to offer continuous upskilling to help workers remain competitive, while 89% demand well-paid 

The study also shows a decline in trust toward employers. While 81% of Mexican respondents said they trust their employer to “do the right thing,” this figure represents a three-point drop from the previous year. Trust levels remain above the global average of 75%, but a widening gap is evident between income groups. Among lower-income respondents, trust in employers falls to just 52%.

Perceptions of grievance against both companies and government are increasing. Sixty-three percent of respondents said they feel disadvantaged by the actions of both institutions. The study identified four key drivers of this sentiment: the belief that the system benefits only a few, personal harm from institutional actions, systemic favoritism toward the wealthy, and growing income inequality.

Additionally, 79% of respondents said they fear business leaders may lie, nearly matching the 80% who express the same concern about politicians. This perception has grown steadily in recent years, with fear of deception from business leaders increasing by 13% points over four years—almost double the rise in distrust toward political figures.

Despite these concerns, trust remains higher in employers than in the government, which recorded a trust level of just 48% among Mexican respondents. According to the report, restoring optimism and motivation in society will depend on whether institutions can demonstrate transparency, fairness, and responsiveness to public expectations.