Covid-19 crisis leads to 400,000 layoffs in Chile's trade sector

 A study commissioned by the National Confederation of Commercial Workers (CONATRACOPS) indicated on Thursday that the Covid-19 pandemic led to some 400,000 layoffs in the trade sector in Chile.

The report, carried out by the Origen Consultores company, points out that the situation worsened due to the health crisis, another 200,000 employees in this sector, one of the most affected by the pandemic, have their contracts suspended, but are paid unemployment insurance, so they are not considered jobless.

The study's authors agree with other recent investigations, which note that up to date 1.5 million jobs have been lost in Chile and another 800,000 jobs remain suspended.

According to CONATRACOPS, the figures are further aggravated if over a million and a half informal or self-employed workers are added who, due to restrictive measures to fight against Covid-19, lost their source of income or saw their earnings strongly reduced.

At assessing the situation, that confederation points to the government for the 'faltering health strategy and erratic and late economic measures,' which caused the crisis to last for seven months.