WASHINGTON – The United States today announced the successful resolution of the Rapid Response Labor Mechanism (RRM) matter at the Impro Industries Mexico, S. de R.L. de C.V. (Impro Mexico) facility in the state of San Luis Potosi, which specializes in fabricating component parts for use in the energy, medical, automotive, and agricultural sectors. This matter was brought to the attention of the U.S. government through a petition. After the United States requested the Government of Mexico’s review of the matter, Mexico and the company undertook several remedial actions to ensure workers’ rights are protected at the facility.
“Today’s announcement highlights the critical role the RRM plays in safeguarding workers’ rights, ensuring they can engage in union activities without fear of retaliation or termination,” said Ambassador Katherine Tai. “We welcome the reinstatement of the dismissed worker, and look forward to the continued application of new company practices that protect workers’ rights.”
“We commend the agreement reached with Impro Industries to resolve the labor violations we identified at their facility and ensure that freedom of association is fully respected,” said Deputy Undersecretary for International Labor Affairs Thea Lee. “The reinstatement of the union delegate underscores a commitment to fair treatment. We applaud the proactive measures taken to address these issues and the collaborative efforts of all parties involved.”
Actions taken by the facility and the Government of Mexico to address the matter include:
- Impro Mexico reinstating and providing backpay to a worker that had been dismissed in retaliation for their union activity;
- Impro Mexico adopting and posting a neutrality statement and company guidelines on freedom of association and collective bargaining, including a zero-tolerance policy for violations of the policy;
- Impro Mexico distributing copies of the neutrality statement and explaining the contents of the document to each worker;
- Impro Mexico delivering trainings to management on company policies and guidelines that encompassed Impro Mexico’s commitment to respecting workers’ right of collective bargaining and freedom of association; and
- The Government of Mexico delivering trainings on freedom of association and collective bargaining rights at the facility for all personnel.
Background
The United States Trade Representative and the Secretary of Labor co-chair the Interagency Labor Committee for Monitoring and Enforcement (ILC). On June 24, 2024, the ILC received an RRM petition from La Liga Sindical Obrera Mexicana (LSOM). The petition alleged that Impro Mexico unjustly fired workers for engaging in union activity and that the union that currently holds collective bargaining rights at the facility, the ‘Sindicato Nacional de Trabajadores de la Industria Automotriz y Servicios en General Similares y Conexos de los Estados Unidos Mexicanos, C.T.M.’, engaged in conduct that interfered with workers' rights to participate in voting procedures at the facility or otherwise discouraged affiliation with LSOM. The ILC reviews RRM petitions that it receives, and the accompanying information, within 30 days.
The ILC determined, in response to the petition, that there was sufficient credible evidence of a denial of rights enabling the good faith invocation of enforcement mechanisms. As a result, the United States Trade Representative submitted a request to Mexico to review the matter. The Government of Mexico accepted the request, conducted an investigation, and worked with Impro Mexico to provide remediation to dismissed workers and implement facility-wide measures aimed at safeguarding freedom of association and collective bargaining rights.
As a result of the above actions taken by the facility and the Government of Mexico to resolve the issue, the United States agrees that there is no ongoing denial of rights. Ambassador Tai’s letter directing the Secretary of the Treasury to resume liquidation of entries of goods from the Impro Mexico facility is available here.
A copy of the request for review can be found here.
Information about previous requests can be found here.
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