Impact of Trade Liberalisation on Female Wages in Mexico: An Econometric Analysis
Author(s)
Ghiara, Ranjeeta
Abstract
The effects of trade liberalization policies on female workers’ access to certain occupations and wages in Mexico during the late 1980s and early 1990s are studied. Data collected from the National Survey of Urban Employment between 1987 and 1993 were analyzed to test the popular perception that female workers in Mexico have gained more employment opportunities. Although scholars have hypothesized that trade liberalization policies would provide additional benefits to low-skilled workers, the study’s findings demonstrate that wage differentials between skilled and low-skilled workers increased over the six-year period. Even though the results indicate that female workers with professional qualifications enjoyed increased employment in the service industries, they also show that wage differentials between male and female workers in the manufacturing sector increased. Future research is encouraged to examine the connection between trade liberalization, workers’ skill levels, and Mexico’s nonservice sector. 9 Tables, 3 Figures, 1 Appendix, 19 References. J. W. Parker.
