The Manufacturas Vu auto parts plant, established in Piedras Negras, Coahuila, Mexico, faces a labor complaint within the framework of the Treaty between Mexico, the United States and Canada (USMCA).
Previously, labor complaints were filed against four other plants that operate in Mexico, from General Motors, Tridonex, Panasonic and Teksid.
In relation to the commitments assumed with the signing of the USMCA and the ratification of Convention 98 of the International Labor Organization, on May 1, 2019, the government reformed the Federal Labor Law with the objective of ending discrimination and workplace harassment, guarantee the right to vote of workers for union representation and union contracts, promote more representative and transparent procedures for the negotiation of collective agreements and provide effective judicial protections to workers
On November 7, 2019, the Government published Convention 98 of the International Labor Organization in the Official Gazette, and the decree entered into force on November 23, 2019.
Manufacturas Vu
The USMCA includes an annex that obliges the Mexican government to include provisions in its internal legislation to ensure that, prior to the initial registration of a collective bargaining agreement or during its revision, through the individual and secret vote of the workers, the contract has the support of the majority of the workers.
Workers at Manufacturas Vu accuse management of inviting the CTM to sign a protection contract and of taking reprisals against opposing workers.
The USMCA Labor Annex establishes specific provisions to prohibit the registration of so-called “protection contracts”, which are collective bargaining agreements entered into by non-representative unions, often without the knowledge of workers, and which undermine collective bargaining legitimate and ensure low wages.
The union “La Liga Sindical Obrera” and the labor NGO “Comité Fronterizo de Obreros” presented evidence against Manufacturas Vu.
The USMCA commits the Parties not to renegotiate or repeal labor statutes or regulations to promote trade and investment, as well as not to fail to effectively enforce labor laws through a «sustained or sustained course of action or inaction.» recurring” (with the exception of workplace violence) in a way that affects trade or investment between the parties.
It also mandates promoting compliance with labor laws through appropriate government action, such as appointing and training inspectors or monitoring compliance and investigating alleged violations.
In addition, the USMCA prohibits the importation of goods made by forced labor and adds new commitments related to violence against workers, the protection of migrant workers, and discrimination in the workplace.
