US asks Mexican authorities to review labor rights at Grupo México mine

The United States asked Mexico this Friday to review whether labor rights are denied to workers at the San Martín mine in the state of Zacatecas (center), owned by the Mexico Groupreported the Department of Labor.

It is the eleventh time that the United States formally invokes the Labor Rapid Response Mechanism of the North American free trade agreement (T-MEC) against Mexico.

Washington states that on May 15 it received a complaint from the largest labor union in the United States and Canada (the American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations), the United Steelworkers union, and the National Union of Mine, Metal, Steel, and Industrial Workers. Similar from the Mexican Republic, known as Los Mineros.

They complain that the company violated the miners’ right to represent workers in collective bargaining and that it hired workers to replace striking employees, despite the fact that Mexican law prohibits it.

“Respect for a union’s status as the exclusive representative of collective bargaining and its right to strike are critical components of Mexico’s labor reform”, affirms the deputy undersecretary for International Affairs, Thea Leecited in the statement.

The US trade representative, Katherine Tai, also quoted in the note, affirms that Washington hopes to “work” with the Mexican government on this case in the coming weeks.

The Mexican government has 10 days to accept the request and another 45 from this Friday to investigate the facts and present conclusions.

Under specific circumstances, the Labor Rapid Response Mechanism allows Washington to take enforcement action when a company from Mexico that exports to the United States violates the country’s freedom of association and collective bargaining laws.