Mexico Closes US Labor Investigation at VU Manufacturing According to USMCA

Flags of Mexico, the United States and Canada hang from a security booth at the Zaragoza-Isleta border bridge in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico on January 16, 2020. REUTERS/Jose Luis Gonzalez

MEXICO CITY, Sep 14 (Reuters) – Mexican authorities closed the latest labor relations complaint filed by the US government under a regional trade agreement, saying on Wednesday workers at VU Manufacturing auto parts plant in northern Mexico were able to fairly elect their union. .

In July, the US government called for an investigation into possible rights violations at the plant under the 2020 United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) after activists said the company interfered with workers’ ability to choose their union. read more

Michigan-based VU Manufacturing, whose plant in the border town of Piedras Negras makes parts for car interiors, including armrests and door trim, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) said in a letter on its website that the USMCA condition was met without providing further details on the case.

Mexico’s economy and labor ministries said in a joint statement that the union’s recent vote at VU Manufacturing was peaceful and guaranteed workers the right to elect the group they feel best represents their interests.

This resolution marks the fifth labor complaint to be resolved under the USMCA, which aims to improve working conditions in Mexico.

Previous U.S. labor relations complaints under the USMCA have led to investigations into factories owned by companies including automakers General Motors and Stellantis.

Reporting by Dina Beth Solomon and Ismail Shakil; Editing: Anthony Esposito and Jonathan Oatis.

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