This submission was filed on November 10, 1999 by the Association of Flight Attendants (AFA) and the Association of Flight Attendants of Mexico (ASSA).
The submission raises concerns about freedom of association, minimum employment standards, and occupational safety and health at the privately owned Mexican airline company, Executive Air Transport, Inc. (TAESA). Specifically, the submitters allege that the union election process at TAESA inhibited flight attendants' right to organize and bargain collectively and in the end, led to the dismissal of those workers who voted for ASSA. The submitters also allege that the Mexican government failed to enforce compliance of minimum labor standards, including payment of overtime and mandatory contributions for social security, pensions, and housing. In terms of occupational safety and health, the submitters allege that TAESA provided inadequate safety training, unsafe flight conditions, and forced flight attendants to work more than the maximum number of permitted hours in flight.
On January 7, 2000, the NAO accepted the submission for review. A public hearing was held in Washington, D.C. on March 23, 2000. The NAO issued its public report on this submission on July 7, 2000, recommending ministerial consultations. The U.S. Secretary of Labor formally requested ministerial consultations on July 17, 2000. The Mexican Secretary of Labor formally accepted the request for ministerial consultations on July 24, 2001.
Consistent with the Ministerial Consultations Joint Declaration signed June 11, 2002 by Secretaries Chao and Abascal, the U.S. and Mexico will undertake a series of efforts to address the issues raises in U.S. Submission 9901. This will include a public seminar to be held in Mexico regarding the different types of unions in each country (e.g. craft or guild unions, company-wide unions, sector or industry unions) and their relevant rights related to freedom of association and collective bargaining, in a public seminar.