Background on the Instituto Federal de Telecomunicaciones (IFT)
The Instituto Federal de Telecomunicaciones (IFT) is Mexico’s sectoral regulatory authority for radio and telecommunications. Following a federal administrative simplification reform in 2024 and a subsequent sectoral reform in 2025, it was decided to extinguish the IFT, terminating its relationship with approximately 1,200 employees, including both direct-hire staff and those who joined through selection processes.
Severance Pay Dispute
A group of 133 IFT workers, who have served for over a decade, claim that the IFT’s board of commissioners refuses to pay severance packages despite their long-term service. These workers assert that the board unilaterally decided to compensate only those hired through competitive exams, disregarding the contributions of others who have served the IFT for more than ten years.
IFT’s Plan to Hire Temporaries
Following the termination of labor relationships with over a thousand employees, the IFT began hiring around 450 temporary workers to handle regulatory tasks. This move was prompted by the Unidad de Concesiones y Servicios, which reportedly requested the new hires to expedite their responsibilities. Moreover, the IFT’s president is no longer being considered for a commissioner position in the upcoming Comisión Reguladora de Telecomunicaciones (CRT) due to conflict-of-interest concerns.
Key Questions and Answers
- Who are the 130 workers in dispute with the IFT? These are long-term employees, some serving over a decade, who claim that the IFT’s board of commissioners is withholding their severance pay despite their extensive service.
- What is the reason for the dispute? The IFT’s board of commissioners decided to compensate only those hired through competitive exams, disregarding the contributions of other long-term employees.
- How many temporary workers will the IFT hire? The IFT plans to bring on approximately 450 temporary workers.
- Why is the IFT hiring temporaries? The Unidad de Concesiones y Servicios requested new hires to expedite their responsibilities following the termination of labor relationships with over a thousand employees.
- Why is the IFT president not being considered for a CRT commissioner position? The government decided to avoid potential conflicts of interest by not appointing the IFT president as a commissioner in the new CRT.
