Thousands of workers in Mexico recently formed an independent union at a GM auto plant in Silao, in central Mexico, voting out a corporate-supported union that did not operate in their interest. On the latest episode of The Solidarity Center Podcast, Maria Alejandra...
The Solidarity Center and our allies in Mexico work to strengthen the organizing and bargaining capacity of unions and grassroots organizations and to empower workers, especially women, to stand up for their rights at work, at home and in their communities.
One of the biggest obstacles to freedom of association for workers in Mexico is the prevalence of “employer protection contracts,” which prevent creation of truly representative unions. Protection contracts, which comprise nearly all union contracts, are negotiated without the knowledge and/or consent of workers and are often in place in a factory before workers are hired.
Despite the obstacles, a handful of independent grassroots worker organizations has emerged. The Solidarity Center provides training and support for domestic workers, who formed the country’s first domestic worker union and gained unprecedented legal rights in Mexico’s constitution.
Mexico: Independent Union Wins Landmark Election
The new, independent union, Sindicato Independiente Nacional de Trabajadores y Trabajadoras de la Industria Automotriz (SINTTIA), won the right to represent more than 6,000 workers at a truck plant in Silao, Mexico, in a closely watched election. SINTTIA won the...
[New York Times] Conditions at a General Motors Plant in Mexico Spur a Labor Challenge
"'If you’ve got a race to the bottom, you’ve got to raise the bottom, and then maybe the race will slow down a little bit,' said Jeff Hermanson, an official at the Solidarity Center."