Carmen Pag s Flexibility and rigidity are buzz-words which can make even the most unflappable people angry.
Some figures do speak for themselves, however.
As these arguments are not unique to Latin America, we should observe how other areas of the world approach this topic. Chile, a byword for flexibility in Latin America, has the same labor protection index as Greece. The labor protection index does not allow us to determine the actual degree of protection and stability enjoyed by workers, nor the relative rigidity of the labor markets concerned. For example, unless there are meaningful enforcement mechanisms, the regulations may be deliberately circumvented by both sides or disregarded altogether. Likewise, severance penalties and restrictions may increase or decrease worker stability depending on the conditions under which firms operate and the type of workers they use.