The U.S. government on Monday filed its seventh labor complaint in Mexico under a trade pact that aims to improve workplace conditions, asking Mexican officials to probe alleged rights abuses at a plant owned by U.S. firm Unique Fabricating Inc (UFAB.A).
U.S. labor officials said a Mexican union alleged workers were denied the rights to freedom of association and collective bargaining at Unique Fabricating’s plant in the central state of Queretaro, in violation of the 2020 United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA).
The Department of Labor released a statement saying, “The union claims Unique Fabricating refused to grant the union access to the facility and interfered with its organizing efforts.
An inquiry for feedback was not immediately answered by Unique Fabricating. The Michigan-based business produces parts for the automotive, appliance, and medical industries, and includes Tesla Inc. (TSLA.O) and General Motors Co. among its customers on its website. (GM.N).
The Mexican government has ten days to evaluate the American request; if it agrees, the investigation will take an additional 45 days. Requests for comment were not quickly answered by Mexican officials.
Previous USMCA complaints sparked investigations into firms like General Motors and Stellantis NV (STLAM.MI), two automakers, as well as a review that is still ongoing at the auto components manufacturer VU Manufacturing in the northern city of Piedras Negras.