Campeche business sector faces labor cost pressures amid job growth

The business sector in Campeche, Mexico, is facing significant financial pressure due to rising labor costs. Martha Reyes Aldana, president of the local Business Coordinating Council (CCE), noted that employing a worker at minimum wage can cost a company up to 15,000 pesos per month when accounting for social security contributions, legal benefits, and payroll taxes.

Reyes Aldana has called for government coordination at the municipal, state, and federal levels to stimulate private investment. She specifically emphasized the construction and real estate sectors as vital economic drivers and urged authorities to reduce bureaucracy, lower tax burdens, and improve essential public services like water supply to attract capital.

In contrast to these cost concerns, Campeche's Secretary of Economy, Jorge Lavalle Maury, reported positive employment trends. The state has generated nearly 7,000 new jobs so far this year, including a recent monthly increase of over 1,500 positions. The state is pursuing an economic diversification strategy to reduce reliance on the oil industry.

Regarding recent job losses, Maury addressed the liquidation of over 300 workers at a maquiladora in Calkiní. He clarified that the layoffs resulted from a change in investment ownership and the withdrawal of American contracts rather than a business failure, noting that the facility's infrastructure remains ready for new operators.