20 January, 2012The complaint of the Mexican Electrical Workers' Union (SME) against their government will be considered in both Canada and the United States under North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) side agreement on labour cooperation.
MEXICO: On January 13 the U.S. Office of Trade and Labor Affairs (OTLA) in the Bureau of the International Labor Affairs of the Department of Labor has notified Mexican Electrical Workers' Union (SME, Sindicato Mexicano de Electricistas) of its decision to review the submission made by the union on November 14, 2011 under the North American Agreement on Labor Cooperation (NAALC).
The submission regards the decree of the Mexican Government dated to 2009 on liquidation of the state-owned company Luz y Fuerza del Centro (LFC) and termination of jobs of 44,000 SME unionized workers and their further replacement with non-unionized jobs.
The Canadian Labour Congress affiliating a number of Canadian and international unions, as well as provincial federations of labour and regional labour councils welcomed the decision by saying "CLC is pleased with the fact that a complaint by the Mexican Union of Electrical Workers (SME) against their government will be heard in both Canada and the United States".
"This is a positive development and we hope that it will convince the Mexican government to negotiate in good faith with the workers who they have treated so scandalously," added Hassan Yussuff, CLC Secretary-Treasurer.