The Mexican Social Security Institute (IMSS) announced on October 12, 2026 an active listening strategy across 277 Second and Third Level hospitals, units where 267,000 workers are employed, in response to mobilizations by active and retired personnel recorded in Mexico City and other states.
The strategy was presented by IMSS Director General Zoé Robledo, together with Labor and Social Welfare Secretary Marath Bolaños López, according to Infobae. The protests, reported on October 12 across at least six thoroughfares in Mexico City and in cities such as Toluca, Monterrey and Hermosillo, according to Expansión Política, center on the salary increase: the Congress of the National Union of Social Security Workers (SNTSS) approved an overall increase of 6.8 percent that includes benefits under the Collective Bargaining Agreement in addition to the base salary, while dissenting workers argue that the direct 2.9 percent raise to the base salary is insufficient. For Mexico, the scale matters: Second and Third Level units account for a significant share of the workforce that sustains the country's hospital care.
The Institute detailed eight areas it will review with staff at the units:
- Supply of inputs and wound-care materials - Prescription fulfillment - Staffing coverage - Availability and maintenance of medical equipment - Furniture - Facility upkeep - Working conditions - Internal organization and management
Zoé Robledo noted that the issues raised must translate into commitments that establish which problem is addressed first, a compliance date and a responsible person. To monitor medication supply, the platform recetacompleta.gob.mx and the phone line 800 953 2218 were set up, aimed at beneficiaries whose prescriptions are not fully filled at institutional pharmacies.
The consultation on the salary review, called for October 14, will be the next step: 476,260 active workers will be able to vote at close to 670 locations, with support from the Federal Center for Labor Conciliation and Registration. Dissenting workers called for an October 13 march from the Centro Médico Nacional Siglo XXI to the National Palace.
This article was written with the assistance of artificial intelligence based on verified sources and reviewed by a human editor before publication.