U.S. Department of Labor to Award $20 Million for Grants to Strengthen Workers Rights and Increase Awareness of Labor Reforms in Mexico

WASHINGTON, DC – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced its intent to award two $10 million grants focused on Mexico. Funding for these grants was appropriated as part of the legislation implementing the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA).

One grant will strengthen workers’ ability to exercise their labor rights under Mexico’s recent landmark labor law reforms by increasing workers’ effective use of labor rights provisions, building the capacity of worker organizations in priority sectors, and strengthening dialogue among relevant stakeholders to improve implementation of labor law reforms.

The second grant will increase awareness of the Mexican labor reform among workers, employers and union leaders through targeted, innovative campaigns, materials and tools. The grant will also improve the ability of federal and state government agencies to conduct outreach regarding labor rights and implementation of the labor reforms among target audiences.

Both grants will build on recent programs funded by the Department to strengthen capacity in Mexico to effectively implement labor reforms and support compliance with the groundbreaking labor provisions of the USMCA. Funded with more than $32 million over the past two years, these programs are working to support the Mexican Ministry of Labor, conciliation bodies and the Federal Center for Conciliation and Labor Registration; advance productive labor relations and union democracy; combat child labor and forced labor; and promote women’s economic empowerment and acceptable conditions of work for vulnerable workers.

In addition to the new programs announced today, the Department is finalizing the obligation of nearly $25 million in additional funding for programs to support compliance in Mexico with the labor provisions of the USMCA. 

These grants will be made available through the Bureau of International Labor Affairs, whose mission is to promote a fair global playing field for workers in the United States and around the world by enforcing trade commitments, strengthening labor standards and combating international child labor, forced labor and human trafficking.

The mission of the Department of Labor is to foster, promote and develop the welfare of the wage earners, job seekers and retirees of the United States; improve working conditions; advance opportunities for profitable employment; and assure work-related benefits and rights.