Archived News Release — Caution: Information may be out of date.

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

U.S.-MEXICO AGREEMENT ON MINISTERIAL CONSULTATIONSMon., June 26, 1995

For more information call: 202/219- 6043.

U.S. Secretary of Labor Robert B. Reich and Mexican Secretary of Labor and Social Welfare Santiago O¤ate announced today that they have reached agreement on ministerial consultations regarding a submission about a Sony subsidiary in Mexico. Canadian Minister of Labor Lucienne Robillard endorsed the agreement and committed her country to participate in its implementation.

Ministerial consultations on this subject were requested by Reich pursuant to a recommendation made by the U.S. National Administrative Office (NAO). In that instance, several U.S. and Mexican labor rights groups filed a submission raising allegations of labor law violations involving the maquiladora operations of the Sony Corporation, doing business as Magneticos de Mexico, S.A. de C.V., in Nuevo Laredo, Tamaulipas, Mexico.

The U.S. NAO issued a public report on the review on April 11, and recommended ministerial consultations pursuant to Article 22 of the North American Agreement on Labor Cooperation (NAALC) on the issue of union registration. Each of the countries has established its own NAO in conformance with the NAALC. The NAALC is commonly referred to as the labor side agreement to the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA).

Reich and O¤ate released to the public the text of the agreement that sets out specific courses of action to be taken by their two governments, within a specified time table, to effect the consultations. (see attachment).

The successful completion of the first-ever case of ministerial consultations under the NAALC was hailed by all three governments as a sign that the agreement is working as intended, denoting the willingness of all parties to strengthen the enforcement of labor law in each country.

MINISTERIAL CONSULTATIONS -- SUBMISSION 940003 AGREEMENTS ON IMPLEMENTATION

The Secretary of Labor of the United States, and the Secretary of Labor and Social Welfare of Mexico, in accord with the provisions of the NAALC, have agreed to carry out consultations regarding labor law dealing with union registration, a subject matter to which both governments lend the greatest importance, and have reached the following agreement:

1. The Secretaries of Labor of the United States and Mexico and the Minister of Labour of Canada will instruct their respective National Administrative Offices (NAOs) to carry out a joint work program to better explain and improve implementation and public understanding of procedures regarding union registration and certification at the federal and state levels in both countries.
   The NAOs shall develop a work program within 90 days. The work program could consist of workshops, seminars, meetings, and studies.
   Implementation of the work program shall be completed within one year.

2. The Mexican Secretary of Labor and Social Welfare will direct the Mexican NAO to bring together a group of independent experts to conduct a study of labor law dealing with union registration and its implementation. The NAO will invite the local authorities to participate in the study. The study shall be completed within 180 days.

3. As directed by the Secretary of Labor and Social Welfare, officials of that Department shall:
   a) meet with workers at Magneticos de Mexico, S.A. de C.V., mentioned in the NAO public report on submission 940003 to inform them of remedies available to them under Mexican law regarding union registration;
   b) meet with local labor authorities to discuss matters regarding union registration raised by the public report on submission 940003 prepared by the U.S. NAO;
   c) meet with representatives of Magneticos de Mexico, S.A. de C.V., to discuss the public report on submission 940003.
   The meetings shall be held within 120 days

4. The outcome of each of the agreed actions will be promptly made available to the public. The two parties shall decide on the form and timing of the public announcements.

5. All completion dates are effective from the date of agreement.

Archived News Release — Caution: Information may be out of date.