Mexico Objects to Call for Placement of U.S. Monitors in Trade Bill
December 14 2019 - 7:49PM
Dow Jones News
By Anthony Harrup
MEXICO CITY -- Mexico is protesting the call for U.S. labor
monitors to be based in Mexico to track the enforcement of its
labor laws and ensure compliance with the recently signed trade
pact between the U.S., Mexico and Canada, the country's chief trade
negotiator said Saturday.
The bill, submitted by the Trump administration Friday to the
U.S. Congress for implementation of the U.S. Mexico Canada
Agreement, or USMCA, calls for up to five U.S. labor attachés in
Mexico, said Jesús Seade, Mexico's undersecretary for North America
and trade negotiator.
Mexico wasn't consulted on the measures, which were part of
negotiations between U.S. lawmakers and the Trump administration,
"and of course we don't agree," Mr. Seade told a news
conference.
He said the matter of attachés isn't included in modifications
to the USMCA that were signed by the three governments on Tuesday
in Mexico City, and ratified by Mexico's Senate on Thursday.
The question of enforcement mechanisms demanded by U.S. labor
unions and some Democrats was a sticking point in negotiations
aimed at securing Democratic support for the deal, which was
negotiated in 2018 to replace the North American Free Trade
Agreement.
Mexico accepted the establishment of panels to resolve labor
disputes between the sides but rejected the presence of U.S.
inspectors to monitor compliance with Mexican labor laws. To comply
with provisions of the USMCA, Mexico changed its laws to ensure
workers can freely choose their unions and elect labor leaders in
secret ballots. Unions also must prove they represent a majority of
workers before signing a collective-bargaining contract, ending the
practice of "protection contracts" or contracts signed without the
agreement of workers.
In a letter to U.S. Trade Rep. Robert Lighthizer, Mr. Seade said
Mexico is concerned that with the bill, the U.S. is seeking to go
beyond what's necessary to enforce provisions negotiated in the
USMCA.
He said Mexico should have been given details of the proposals
during USMCA negotiations.
Mr. Seade said he would travel to Washington on Sunday to
discuss Mexico's position with Mr. Lighthizer and U.S.
legislators.
He said in any case, U.S. attachés in Mexico wouldn't be allowed
under Mexican law to conduct inspections.
A spokesman for House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D., Calif.) declined
to comment.
The USTR didn't immediately respond to a request for comment,
and White House officials couldn't be reached for comment.
In a release outlining changes to the USMCA that Democrats
negotiated with the Trump administration, Mrs. Pelosi's office said
earlier this week they included labor attachés based in Mexico and
an interagency committee that would monitor Mexico's labor reforms.
They aren't mentioned in the modifications to the USMCA that were
signed on Tuesday.
Mr. Seade said in his letter to the USTR that Mexico would
evaluate "not only the measures proposed...but also the
establishment of reciprocal mechanisms in defense of the interests
of our country."
--Natalie Andrews in Washington contributed to this article.
Write to Anthony Harrup at anthony.harrup@wsj.com
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
December 14, 2019 19:34 ET (00:34 GMT)
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