The United States has called on Mexico to examine allegations of workers' rights violations at an Industrial Interior denim garment facility in Aguascalientes. The U.S. decision includes the suspension of final customs account settlements related to goods from this particular facility.
This action represents the tenth time the U.S. has formally invoked the Rapid Response Labor Mechanism under the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement, but it marks the first instance in the garment sector. Prior invocations solely pertained to the automotive industry. According to the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR), a petition was filed with the Interagency Labor Committee for Monitoring and Enforcement, which consists of the USTR and the Department of Labor.
The petition alleged that the Mexican company coerced workers into accepting revised collective bargaining agreements, interfered with the union's internal affairs, and failed to engage in genuine negotiations.
The committee subsequently determined the existence of credible evidence supporting the claims of rights denial, thus warranting the use of enforcement measures in good faith. Mexico has been given ten days to agree to conduct a review, and if accepted, they will have 45 days to complete the investigation, as stated by the USTR.
