Downward wage rigidities in the Mexican labor market: 1996–2011

In this paper, we provide evidence of the existence and evolution of downward real and nominal wage rigidities in Mexico in the period 1996–2011, which was characterized by a reduction in the level and volatility of inflation. Our results suggest that, throughout the period, a much larger fraction of private sector workers, who stay in the same job from one year to another, are subject to downward real wage rigidities than to nominal ones. Nevertheless, the relative prevalence of nominal rigidities increases slightly as inflation decreases.