On a historic day for North American workers, Ambassador Ken Salazar noted that the consultation process for workers to choose their union representation at the General Motors plant in Silao, Guanajuato, is a clear example of the fruits of the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) in the lives of the people of our region.
More than five thousand workers participated in the consultation, that is, nine out of 10 of those who could vote. So “the level of participation and the overall results of a contest between four different proposals, shows that our regional integration directly benefits families in our countries, through better working conditions,” said Ambassador Salazar.
This union consultation marks a historic moment for workers’ rights in both Mexico and North America. This process was carried out under the new labor model that responds to the labor commitments that Mexico assumed under the USMCA. Therefore, Ambassador Salazar recognized the work of the Federal Center for Conciliation and Labor Registration of Mexico, as well as the Ministry of Labor, since it represented a vote of confidence of the workers and an important advance towards union democracy. He also highlighted the observation work of the National Electoral Institute, the National Human Rights Commission, academics and labor organizations.
Finally, Ambassador Salazar commented that “just as in the case of the union consultation at General Motors in Guanajuato it is a sample of the new era of cooperation that President Joe Biden is promoting with the governments of Mexico and Canada, it is also a motivation to strengthen our work so that North America is the most prosperous region and aspires to a better future for its people.”
Source: U.S. Embassy & Consulates in Mexico
