Introduction to Conasami and its Significance
The National Commission for Minimum Wages (Conasami) is a Mexican institution responsible for setting and adjusting the country’s minimum wage to ensure fair compensation for workers. Its decisions significantly impact the livelihoods of millions of Mexican employees and their families.
Conasami’s Program 2025-2030: The Second Phase of Salary Recovery
Conasami recently unveiled its Institutional Program 2025-2030, which outlines a technical roadmap to establish what it calls the “second pillar” of salary recovery. The central commitment of this six-year plan is to ensure that, by the end of the period, a worker earning the minimum wage can afford to purchase 2.5 basic baskets (food and non-food items), thus covering both their own needs and those of an economically dependent individual.
Intermediate Goals for 2026
To achieve this goal, Conasami has set intermediate targets for 2026. Currently, the planned number of basic consumption units is 1.76 for 2025, which will increase to 1.89 units by 2026. This aims to elevate the standard of living for minimum wage workers.
Ambitious Salary Targets for Professionals
Conasami’s strategy for professional salaries in 2026 is even more ambitious. The target is to enable the purchase of 2.48 basic baskets through these specialized remunerations.
Implementing a Comprehensive Salary Review
To accomplish these targets, Conasami’s Technical Direction will conduct a thorough overhaul of the Professional Minimum Wage System. This will involve using the Employment Conditions Index, a technical tool that evaluates labor precarity across four fundamental dimensions: working conditions, legal protection, social protection, and sociodemographic factors. The data for this evaluation will come from the National Occupation and Employment Survey (ENOE) conducted by Mexico’s National Institute of Statistics and Geography (Inegi).
Updating the Professional List
Conasami plans to carry out a validity diagnosis in 2026, excluding occupations that no longer reflect the current job market while integrating new categories with high vulnerability. This process will be complemented by technical studies on gender gaps in historically discriminated groups, ensuring that women’s wages grow at a faster rate than men’s.
Inflation-Protected Salary Increases
The program emphasizes that any salary adjustments for 2026 will be based on technical criteria to ensure that increases never fall below observed inflation rates. This policy aims to safeguard the purchasing power regained, which has already grown by 129.4% in the general zone compared to the end of 2018.
Transitioning to a Human Rights-Oriented Basket
Conasami is moving towards a new measurement methodology based on a “basket with a human rights perspective.” This approach will incorporate not just food but also health, education, and housing as pillars of a dignified life.
Key Questions and Answers
- What is Conasami? Conasami is the National Commission for Minimum Wages, a Mexican institution responsible for setting and adjusting the country’s minimum wage.
- What is the significance of Conasami’s Program 2025-2030? This six-year plan outlines a technical roadmap to establish the “second pillar” of salary recovery, ensuring that minimum wage workers can afford 2.5 basic baskets by 2030.
- What are the intermediate goals for 2026? Conasami aims to increase the number of basic consumption units from 1.76 in 2025 to 1.89 by 2026. For professional salaries, the target is to enable the purchase of 2.48 basic baskets.
- How will Conasami achieve these targets? Conasami plans to implement a comprehensive salary review using the Employment Conditions Index, update the professional list, and ensure salary increases never fall below inflation rates.
- What is the new measurement methodology? Conasami is transitioning to a “basket with a human rights perspective” that includes food, health, education, and housing as pillars of a dignified life.
