Yucatán Report Shows Over 1.1 Million Workers in Precarious or Excluded Jobs

A recent study by the Dignified Work Observatory, published by the civic group Acción Ciudadana Frente a la Pobreza, finds that roughly 66 % of Yucatán’s working‑age population lacks dignified employment. More than 1.1 million people are either excluded from the formal labor market or work under severe precarious conditions. About 343,000 individuals are outside the formal market, including 98,000 unemployed job‑seekers and 245,000 who cannot work because of unpaid caregiving duties, a role held by 95 % women. Among those employed, an estimated 782,000 face precarious jobs, with 64 % lacking social security and 65 % earning insufficient income to buy two basic food baskets. Nine out of ten salaried workers have no union representation.

Academic analysis by Raquel Alvarado Cabrera of Universidad Anáhuac Mayab links recent employment losses to the construction boom tied to the Maya Train project and a subsequent downturn. The state lost about 3,485 jobs annually and 4,500 in June, with 2,400 construction jobs disappearing as workers migrated to Quintana Roo, the United States, and elsewhere for better‑paid positions. High job rotation, low wages, and a shortage of qualified labor are cited as aggravating the informal sector. Labor advocates call for stronger public care systems, expanded healthcare coverage, and policies that promote fair wages.