U.S. Trade Rep Urges Mexico on Goodyear Labor Rights

In a significant development, the U.S. Trade Representative‘s office has called upon Mexico to launch an investigation into claims of labor rights denial at a Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co plant in central Mexico. This request signifies the most recent investigation conducted as part of the “rapid response” initiative under the trade rules of North America.

The call to action came after the independent Mexican union, La Liga, reached out to U.S. labor officials, urging them to initiate a case and highlighting alleged worker rights violations at the Goodyear facility situated in the central state of San Luis Potosi.

Since the implementation of the U.S.-Mexico-Canada agreement on trade, commonly known as the USMCA, in 2020, the U.S.

Trade Representative has been actively addressing factory-specific complaints related to labor rights in Mexico’s automotive facilities. These efforts have resulted in the election of independent unions in various instances, leading to improved compensation and benefits for workers. In a recent setback for the Confederation of Mexican Workers (CTM), one of the largest labor organisations in Mexico, Goodyear employees in San Luis Potosi voted against their collective contract.

This move has raised concerns, as the CTM had faced accusations from Mexican labor authorities for alleged interference in the voting process, including ballot theft. Commenting on the situation, Thea Lee, the deputy undersecretary for international affairs at the U.S. Labor Department, emphasised the workers’ demand for fair treatment from Goodyear.

At present, there has been no immediate response from Goodyear or Mexican authorities regarding the U.S. request for a USMCA investigation. Goodyear has previously stated its commitment to enabling workers to freely choose their union and engage in collective bargaining.

The industry eagerly awaits the findings of the investigation and the subsequent measures that will be taken by all parties involved.