San Luis Potosí, STPS Aim to Formalize Agricultural Work

The Minister of Labor and Social Welfare, Luisa María Alcalde, and the Governor of San Luis Potosi, José Ricardo Gallardo Cardona, signed a Collaboration Agreement for the Formalization of Workers in the Agricultural Sector, aiming to provide full labor rights to the minimum of 47,000 workers in the agricultural sector.

Alcalde said that nearly 8,500 workers in San Luis Potosi were able to leave their precarious contractual situation and be recognized by their employers as a result of the labor subcontracting reform. The core goal of the agreement is to pull agricultural workers out of the informal labor market, in accordance with the subcontracting reform, in order to align the agricultural-export industry to grant labor rights and protection to 70,761 employees, of which only 23,136 have social security.

Alcalde explained the basic activities undertaken in the industry, which include the cutting and harvesting of the produce, as well as its cultivation, packaging, distribution and export. She explained that the activity of cutting, harvesting or collecting fruit is not considered specialized work. Nevertheless, the companies that currently carry out such activities will act as employment agencies in the process of hiring personnel. They would also participate in the recruitment, selection, training and qualification of personnel.

She specified that the work will be analyzed during a series of inspections in the state, where seven out of 10 workers are hired informally. In addition, the local sector has many recruiters or intermediaries, with fewer than 5 employees registered with IMSS.

Governor Gallardo stressed that the agreement allows them to fight for the formalization of workers from different sectors of the economy, meaning that they are recognized by their employers and have their labor rights protected.

The first state where a similar agreement was reached was in Michoacán. The agreement includes a strategic inspection operation in the state's agricultural production centers. Here, more than 210,000 day workers can now access social security.