Trabajo, Empleo, Protección Laboral y Social en América Latina y el Caribe, 1994-2024[Work, Employment, Labour and Social Protection in Latin America and the Caribbean, 1994-2024]

Labour institutions and the labour market are fundamental to progress and sustainable development. Workers are the primary resource in productive processes, and labour income is the main source of household income. What happens in the world of work reflects the intersection of economic and productive policies with those of a social and institutional nature. This article reviews the labour performance of Latin America over the past three decades. During this period, the region has experienced numerous advances, but considerable challenges persist that slow down and inhibit the path to better outcomes, which would allow for greater productivity, improved working conditions and wages, and a more equitable distribution of the fruits of progress. To face the new challenges associated with demographic, technological, and environmental transitions, it is necessary to develop comprehensive policies that promote growth, the quantity and quality of jobs, along with the strengthening of labour institutions.