TPP Offers Chance to Improve Mexican Labor Protections, Trumka Tells Obama
Mexican workers’ rights are deteriorating due to economic inequality, pervasive corruption and a range of other factors, and President Barack Obama should have pressed that concern in his Jan. 6 meeting with Mexican counterpart Enrique Peña Nieto, said AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka in a letter to Obama that preceded the summit. The U.S. and Mexico held a high level economic dialogue on Jan. 6, and both sides championed progress on trade facilitation and infrastructure, among other areas of cooperation (see 1501060011).
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Mexican insecurity and violence threatens protection for journalists and human rights advocates, and the country also continues to allow forced and child labor in its industries, said Trumka. “The U.S. and Mexican governments must work cooperatively to ensure that goods made with forced and child labor are not exported into the U.S. market,” the letter said. “The Mexican government must vigorously enforce its labor laws in the agricultural sector and to step up efforts to combat child labor – not by criminalizing child workers and their families, but by providing educational opportunities and incentives.” Trumka cited recent reports that forced and child labor produced goods sold at Wal-Mart and Safeway in the U.S.
The U.S. should use Trans-Pacific Partnership talks as a forum to push for more labor rights in Mexico, Trumka added. “Mexico must eliminate the corrupt system of labor boards and allow workers to choose their representatives in a democratic manner free from intimidation,” he said. “As a party to the ongoing [TPP] negotiations, U.S. negotiators must demand that Mexico implement changes prior to entering into any trade agreement as current laws are not in compliance with any credible labor chapter.”
Email ITTNews@warren-news.com for a copy of the letter.