First USMCA Labor Case in the Service Industry Accepted by Mexico after Two Rejections

Earlier this month, the Mexican government agreed to review whether a cargo airline is violating workers’ rights of freedom of association. This was the first time a labor complaint was filed in the service industry, which many global employers operate in. To learn all the recent developments and their implications, please join our webinar Mexico's Labor Reform: Updates and New Developments Under USMCA on September 21 at 11:00 am ET.  

The 13th USMCA’s Rapid Response Labor Mechanism case responded to a pilot union’s allegations of intimidation, interference, and retaliation by MasAir airline, including the dismissal of eight pilots who attempted to join the union. The union also alleged that MasAir attempted to influence the outcome of a vote to ratify a collective agreement in favor of its current union. After turning down two cases, the Mexican government agreed to review this complaint on September 8^th and will share their discovery in 35 days.

HR Policy Global anticipates more RRM complaints in service, consumer goods, retail, technology, and consulting sectors in the coming months, a shift from the previous focus on automotive and manufacturing industries. U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai stated, “this action demonstrates America’s commitment to safeguarding labor rights and our willingness to address issues in all industries, including services.”