Mulegé Mayor Edith Aguilar Villavicencio has proposed a 6.5% increase in base salary and supplemental pay for municipal workers, ending a weeks-long standoff that saw employees block government offices in early April. The proposal also includes a 7% boost in bonuses for the municipality’s workforce.
The offer matches raises already approved in La Paz, Loreto, and Comondú. Mulegé had been the only municipality in Baja California Sur that had not signed on to the salary agreement negotiated between the state government and SUTSPEMIDBCS, the state workers’ union.
Protests Forced the Issue
In early April, unionized municipal employees staged protests and work stoppages at City Hall and the Oomsapas water utility offices to demand better wages. Mayor Aguilar had initially said the municipality could not afford the union’s proposal, which would have cost roughly 20 million pesos (about $1 million USD).
The state’s original offer stood at 4%, in line with what Mulegé’s administration said it could manage. After further negotiations and a financial review, Aguilar said room was found in the budget to match the 6.5% figure accepted by other municipalities.
Budget Pressures Remain
Aguilar acknowledged that Mulegé is one of the least-funded municipalities in the state. The government faces ongoing obligations to ISSSTE (the federal public employees’ health and pension system) and FOVISSSTE (the federal housing fund for government workers), along with year-end loan payments that strain the budget.
Despite those pressures, the mayor said there is both political will and administrative capacity to honor the new proposal. State Deputy Secretary of Administration Jorge Humberto Bautista Rodríguez confirmed that the state had been waiting for Mulegé’s official position before finalizing the statewide agreement.
What Happens Next
The proposal still requires formal ratification. If approved, it would bring Mulegé in line with every other municipality in Baja California Sur. The deal could also reduce the risk of further work stoppages that disrupted water utility and city services during the April protests.
Mulegé municipality covers a vast stretch of central Baja California Sur, including the towns of Santa Rosalía, Guerrero Negro, and the historic mission community of Mulegé. This story was first reported by BCS Noticias.