US officials praise Mexico for “fair and safe” union vote at Tridonex plant

“Democracy in the workplace is a cornerstone of the labor provisions of the USMCA,” Tay said. “People on both sides of the border win when workers choose their union representation fairly. Freely, fairly, and without delay.”

Taye said the United States will oversee Mexico’s ratification of Monday’s vote, which follows an agreement reached with Tridonex following a complaint from Washington that was filed under the labor law enforcement mechanism of the US-Mexico-Canada Trade Agreement.

Win an independent trade union

The independent federation SNITIS received 1,126 votes on Monday, surpassing the 176 votes received by the current federation CTM, which is part of one of the largest union organizations in the Latin American country.

Employees at the Matamoros Factory, a unit of US-based Cardon Corporation located in northern Mexico, began a campaign two years ago to replace a union they accused of failing to improve wages.

Cardone, who is not listed on the stock exchange, faced scrutiny from his country’s government last year in one of the first labor complaints under the new North American Trade Agreement, T-MEC, signed by Canada and the United States. and Mexico.

Factory workers denounced being denied the right to freely choose their union. More than 80% of voting staff wore it on Monday, in an election that US trade representative Catherine Taye said is being closely watched.

The vote came weeks after the CTM union lost control of the General Motors plant in downtown Silao for 25 years, to a start-up group in an election following another complaint from the US-Mexico-Canada union.