Government institutions indulge in MXN$76,816 million worth of ‘luxury benefits’

Benefits given to workers of Mexico’s public sector rose to 76,816 million pesos (USD$4,132 million) during the second quarter of 2018 , three-quarters of which were distributed between bureaucrats of the Mexican Social Security Institute (IMSS), the Ministry of Public Education (SEP), Mexican Petroleums (PEMEX), and the Federal Electricity Commission (CFE) .

According to the Ministry of Finance and Public Credit (SHCP) , all four government bodies handed out fiscal incentives, insurance premiums, awards, compensations, rewards, and a series of additional benefits that represented 73% of the total amount disbursed to public officers , which translates to 55,707 million pesos (USD$2,997 million) .

The total amount of benefits given in all four government institutions were even higher than the MXN$50,000 million (USD$2,689 million) budget that President Enrique Peña Nieto announced for Special Economic Zones on April this year.

An amount such as this would also suffice to fully finance the budget for the Ministry of Tourism, the Ministry of Navy, the Ministry of Labor, and the Attorney General’s Office , which together are estimated to spend 55,503 million pesos during the year .

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Between the months of April and June , the SHCP approved a salary increase for bureaucrats in their budget design. The IMSS was the government body that gave most benefits to its employees.

The health institution gave out 28,782 million pesos (USD$2,878 million) only in the second quarter, which was 7% higher than the amount given a year before.

As for the Ministry of Public Education (SEP) , workers pocketed 10,496 million pesos (USD$564.5 million) , 6% more than they took between April and July, 2017 .

For their part, PEMEX workers received 8,951 million pesos (USD$481 million) , an amount that was also 7% higher than what was given on 2017.

Another big “winner” was the CFE , which gave employee benefits of 7,478 million pesos (USD$402 million) , representing a 4.6% increase .

In their report, the Ministry of Finance underlines an increase in general employee benefits, collective contracts, and other expenses, which is why the institution decided to give out a sum of 34,890 million pesos (USD$1,876 million) for said purpose, an amount 9.8% higher than last year’s second quarter .

In said section, workers from the public sector received benefits for the sindicates’ so-called “labor accomplishments.”

Some of their benefits included scholarships for employees and their children, nursing breaks, education expenses, Mother’s Day, Women’s Day, Secretary Day, etc.

However, there were also benefits for calendar adjustments, toy purchasing, vehicle bonuses, social welfare, “extra” bonuses, “ expensive lifestyle ” bonuses, birthday handouts, labor day, and payments for “perseverance,” among other arbitrary handouts.

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