Skip to main content
Unions file first labour complaint against Mexico under free-trade deal 

Under the latest trade deal Mexico agreed to reform its labour laws to guarantee secret-ballot votes on union representation and the right to organise freely — now cross-border worker organisation is fighting to enforce that in the state of Tamaulipas, reports TONY BURKE
Susana Prieto

US and Mexican trade unions have filed their first labour complaint against the government of Mexico under the under the US-Mexico-Canada free trade agreement (USMCA).

The complaint, backed by union federation AFL-CIO in the US, argues that Mexico has not lived up to its pledge under the deal to guarantee workers the right to organise and join the union of their choice, rather than one previously hand picked by then employer.

Their case centres on the Tridonex auto parts assembly plant in the Mexican border city of Matamoros, where workers have been fighting to form a new independent union rather than join existing pro-company “yellow” union SITPME.

Support the Morning Star
You have reached the free limit.
Subscribe to continue reading.
More from this author
TB albums
Album Reviews / 3 March 2025
3 March 2025
New releases by Samba Touré, Santrofi, and Piers Faccini & Ballake Sissoko 
SCARING TRUMP: (Left to right) Brazil’s President Luiz Ina
Features / 24 February 2025
24 February 2025
The towering figures of the North American right and the South American left are set to clash this summer as Brazil hosts Brics, an alliance Trump is determined to smash, reports TONY BURKE
US unions
Features / 11 January 2025
11 January 2025
The looming Trump presidency has forced unions to rebuild their unity and strength, writes TONY BURKE, as the SEIU returns to the AFL-CIO, healing the 2005 rift over organising priorities and getting ready to fight the right together
rory
Culture / 30 December 2024
30 December 2024
A horn of plenty, no less!
Similar stories
Claudia Scheinbaum
Features / 2 January 2025
2 January 2025
Mexico’s unflinching stand has earned praise from across Latin America and the world, writes DAVID RABY
A rally demanding changes to the Trump administration’s re
Features / 13 December 2024
13 December 2024
Global South governments’ sovereignty and ability to decide future economic policy are severely compromised by signing free trade agreements, whose terms are heavily weighted in favour of the already wealthy countries of the global North, writes BERT SCHOUWENBURG
Mexican presidential hopeful Claudia Sheinbaum, center, gree
Features / 22 May 2024
22 May 2024
With elections coming up next month, the race is on to decide who will be the presidential successor to popular leftwinger Amlo, says TONY BURKE