An excess or a right?

While the general population implements a sensible use of electricity at home, turns the lights off when they are unnecessary, and purchases energy saving light bulbs , there are 72,420 people in the country who don't have to worry about this because the cost of the electricity they consume is paid off by Mexicans. In 2018, the costs reached MXN $1,548 million and in January 2019, the trend continues, as MXN $132.6 million were spent to cover these costs.

The beneficiaries are the 14,139 non-union contract employees and the 58,101 unionized employees from the Federal Electricity Commission , who have a job benefit : 350 Kilowatt-hours for free each month. In places where there is a CFE network, they receive the benefit in electricity but in places where there is no CFE network, the employees receive money, which is added to their salary.

This is another proof of the privileges granted to the unionized workers from the CFE or Pemex , and from other institutions, at the expense of taxpayers .

The benefit mentioned is far from the usual treatment clients receive by the electricity company. For the domestic consumer , there are three types of costs: those who consume up to 150 Kilowatt-hours and pay MXN $79 cents for each Kilowatt, they pay every two months, unlike the CFE employees who pay every month; then there are some who consume 130 Kilowatt-hours and pay MXN $95 cents. After consuming 281 Kilowatt-hours, the prices almost triple, since each additional Kilowatt costs MXN $2.80.

Meanwhile, the CFE offers the domestic user only 280 Kilowatts per bimonthly for under MXN $1, but the 70,000 CFE employees receive up to 700 Kilowatts for free, bimonthly.

For the average client , this benefit can seem excessive or abusive . For the employee , it is a right. In times of Republican austerity , MXN $1,548 million every year are valuable resources that can be used for productive actions.

The majority of the benefits assigned to unions from government institutions come from the times of the so-called corporatism , when unions were seen as groups that supported political causes . Many of these benefits contradict the policy to end privileges , which is being implemented by the new administration.

A decent salary is not up for discussion but there are certain benefits that should be evaluated, as they sometimes violate what was established by the law . It shouldn't be forgotten that these benefits are paid off with the taxpayers ' money.

2 out of 10 Mexicans do not pay electricity bills

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