The USMCA has the strongest labor provisions of any U.S. trade agreement. In addition to petitions under the Labor Chapter, the agreement includes the innovative Facility Specific Rapid Response Labor Mechanism (RRM) that permits the U.S. Government to take expedited enforcement actions against individual factories that appear to be denying workers the right of freedom of association and collective bargaining under Mexican law. Stakeholders can file labor chapter petitions and Rapid Response petitions, and the U.S. government can also self-initiate RRM actions. The Department of Labor and the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative have already collaborated on multiple RRM cases to protect workers’ rights under the USMCA. Read more about individual cases here.
- US, Mexico announce enforcement of worker protection agreement (7/9/2021)
- Mexican laborers’ vote on future of collective bargaining agreement at Silao General Motors’ plant is a win for labor protections (8/20/2021)
- Statement of Trade Representative Katherine Tai, Secretary of Labor Marty Walsh applaud successful first course of remediation under USMCA’s Rapid Response Mechanism (9/22/2021)
- Workers at General Motors’ Silao plant participate in historic labor election (2/3/2022)
- Committee co-chaired by US Labor Department, US Trade Representative requests Mexico review alleged labor rights denial at Reynosa parts plant (5/18/2022)
- US Department of Labor, US Trade Representative applaud agreement to resolve alleged violations of workers’ rights at Panasonic auto parts plant (7/18/2022)
- US government seeks Mexico’s review of allegations that workers’ rights to associate, collectively bargain were denied at Coahuila auto parts plant (7/21/2022)
- Secretary of Labor, US Trade Representative support protection of labor rights at Mexico’s Manufacturas VU auto parts facility (9/14/2022)
- US Department of Labor, Trade Representative again request Mexico review alleged labor rights denial at Piedras Negras auto parts plant (1/30/2023)
- US Department of Labor, Trade Representative reach agreement on course of remediation to address labor rights violations at Piedras Negras plant (3/31/2023)
- Statement by Undersecretary of Labor for International Affairs Thea Lee on closure of auto parts facility accused of labor rights violations at Piedras Negras plant in Mexico (10/10/2023)
- US Department of Labor, Trade Representative request Mexico review alleged denial of labor rights at Goodyear rubber tire plant in San Luis Potosí (5/22/2023)
- US Department of Labor, Trade Representative reach agreement with Mexican government to address labor violations at San Luis Potosí tire plant (7/19/2023)
- US Department of Labor, Office of the Trade Representative announce successful remediation of denial of workers’ rights at Goodyear tire plant in Mexico (2/5/2024)
- US Department of Labor, Trade Representative request Mexico review alleged denial of labor rights at INISA 2000 garment plant in Aguascalientes (6/12/2023)
- Department of Labor, Trade Representative reach agreement with Mexican government to address labor violations at Aguascalientes garment plant (8/9/2023)
- US Department of Labor, Office of the Trade Representative announce resolution of alleged labor rights’ denials at Mexican garment factory (12/11/2023)