Mexico Has Poorest Workers, OECD Study Says

Mexico is one of the countries with the highest risks of poverty among workers in the members of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). A new study from the OECD has found that Mexico is one of the countries with the highest level of poverty in the workforce as well as having one of the world's biggest blackmarket economies. Mexico ranked very low on the OECD's list of member countries in the April report on labour conditions from around the world.

According to the OECD, "the average worker in Mexico faced a tax burden on labour income (tax wedge) of 19.2% in 2013 compared with the OECD average of 35.9%." Notwithstanding, "Mexico was ranked 32of the 34 OECD member countries in this respect." The report found that in Mexico, the average risk of poverty has risen from 19 to 21 percent in the working population, putting it on par with Israel and Turkey. Having a job in Mexico does not necessarily mean escaping poverty: 18.5 percent of the working population cannot meet their basic needs.

Among OECD members, which number 34 countries, the Mexico had the highest percentage of poverty among its workforce, followed by Turkey, with 18 percent and Chile and Israel, both with 15 percent. Poverty affected on average just 8 percent of the population in OECD member countries. The report also found that "the tax burden for the single average worker increased by 6.8 percentage points from 12.4% to 19.2% between 2000 and 2013. Between 2009 and 2013, there was an increase of 3.9 percentage points."