Protecting Those Who Sustain the Nation’s Trade and Production

Original article: Proteger a quienes sostienen el comercio y la producción del país

By Juan Moreno, Union Leader

Chile has experienced another rise in unemployment, with the INE reporting a jobless rate of 9.8% for the July-September 2026 period, an increase of 1.3 percentage points from the same time in 2025.

The nation now has over a million people without work, with women particularly affected, seeing a rate of 10.5%. Behind these numbers are families reliant on a single income to meet their basic needs and manage caregiving responsibilities.

The retail sector is also feeling the squeeze. As households cut back on spending, sales stagnate, and there is increased pressure to reduce costs.

A recent study by Kobai Consumer Insight reveals that actual supermarket spending has remained nearly flat. Additionally, there was a 1.1% annual decline in employment within the commerce sector and a 1.2% drop in supermarket sales in August, according to the INE.

In this context, adjustments to staffing, shifts, and working hours can directly impact the income and stability of those employed in the sector.

In light of this, we urge authorities, businesses, and all sectors to take preventive actions through responsible and collaborative dialogue. It is crucial to implement measures that safeguard incomes and stability for families, explore alternatives to layoffs—such as reassignments, shift redistribution, and training—and ensure that economic decisions do not lead to a loss of rights.

Furthermore, we cannot weaken or divert resources intended for the Unemployment Insurance, which is a vital protection when individuals lose their income source.

Reducing these resources amid rising unemployment would have severe consequences for thousands of workers and their families, precisely when they need support the most. Economic recovery cannot be taken for granted while uncertainty lingers and households currently face its repercussions.

Protecting workers must be a shared priority. The development of commerce and the sustainability of companies should not come at the expense of the economic security of those who drive them.

From SIL, the largest retail union in Chile, we reaffirm the importance of moving towards a model that places people at the center, ensuring that decent work and business sustainability go hand in hand.

(*) Juan Moreno is the president of the Intercompany Union Líder Walmart Chile and of the National Federation of Workers in Commerce, Services, and Others.