Congressman Panetta Releases Statement on the Deployment of USMCA Enforcement Measure

Press Release

Today, Congressman Jimmy Panetta (D-Carmel Valley) released the following statement on the first complaint filed under Rapid Response Mechanism of the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA). For the first time, the tool is being used to pursue justice for autoworkers in Mexico whose labor rights were allegedly violated, breaching USMCA labor standards.

"As someone who helped negotiate the USMCA trade deal, and as a member of the Trade Subcommittee of the House Ways and Means Committee, I worked hard to ensure that USMCA included strong and swift enforcement mechanisms for violations of labor and environmental standards by Mexico and Canada," said Congressman Panetta. "Unfortunately, after an extensive investigation, it is alleged that a Mexican auto parts factory violated some of those labor standards. Fortunately, we now have the USMCA enforcement tools to hold our partners accountable and ensure that they uphold the spirit of the one of the most progressive hemispheric trade agreements in our nation's history."

The USMCA includes strong labor standards, environmental criteria, and enforcement mechanisms. The Rapid Response Mechanism (RRM) is a cornerstone of USMCA's enforcement tools which permits a party to take action against specific facilities for failing to uphold workers' rights to collectively bargain or freely associate. Today, the AFL-CIO, the Service Employees International Union (SEIU), the Sindicato Nacional Independiente de Trabajadores de Industrias y de Servicios MOVIMIENTO 20/32 (SNITIS) and Public Citizen filed the first complaint using this tool. The complaint alleges that Tridonex, an auto parts manufacturer in Matamoros, Mexico, has denied workers their right to be represented by the union of their choice, and has retaliated against workers who sought fair union representation.

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