U.S. Unions meddle in Mexican vote at GM Guanajuato plant

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The CTM suggested postponing the union vote that this week will take place at the General Motors plant in Silao, Guanajuato.

The Confederación de Trabajadores de México (CTM) and the Miguel Trujillo López Union rejected this Sunday “interference” by foreign unions over the United States’ labor complaint about a Mexican plant of General Motors (GM).

The CTM, the largest labor union in Mexico, denounced pressure from the United States unions to influence the union vote and the collective contract that this week will be replaced at the GM factory in Silao, in the central state of Guanajuato.

“There has been, for several weeks, a constant pressure from American unions towards the Mexican authorities and towards the workers of this automobile plant to try to influence the result; therefore, we reject this interference, “he said in a statement.

Mexico and Washington had announced in July “a reparation course” after a “request for review” that the United States sent on May 12 due to irregularities detected in the vote on the collective agreement and “the denial” of the rights of free association and negotiation. collective.

The Mexican authorities promised to monitor the rerun of the vote, in which about 6 thousand workers will participate this Tuesday and Wednesday.

Presionados. Denunciaron ser acosados y presionados por sindicatos de Estados Unidos. SUN/ Iván Stephens

But the CTM asked to postpone the exercise on the grounds that COVID-19 infections are at “their highest level since this pandemic began and could put the health of participants and observers at risk.”

Even so, the union group affirmed that “there is no opposition” to the process of legitimation of the contract.

In addition, he supported the statements of the Secretary of Economy, Tatiana Clouthier, who this week affirmed that the Government complies with the new Treaty between Mexico, the United States and Canada (USMCA).

“We agree with the Secretary of Commerce of Mexico, in the sense that foreigners were opened the door more in the signing of the USMCA, having accepted the labor chapter 23 in those terms, because these unions do suppose that they can be judges or promoters ”, indicated the CTM.

INE will monitor the election

Along with the CTM statement, the National Electoral Institute (INE) of Mexico announced that it will participate as an observer in the process of legitimizing the collective contract at GM.

The INE, an autonomous body, reported that it will be at the request of the Ministry of Labor and Social Welfare (STPS) and the International Labor Organization (ILO).

“In both cases, there is an agreement between the Mexican Government and the Commercial Representation of the United States Government (USTR, in English),” the institute reported.

Respecting the rights of association, collective bargaining and better wages in Mexico has been one of the main demands of the North American unions for the signing of the USMCA.

Meanwhile, the Mexican government has opted for the trade agreement to recover after the historic contraction of 8.2% of GDP suffered in 2020 by the Covid-19 crisis.

Source: informador.mx, forbes.com.mx

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