LatinNews Daily - 07 February 2024

*Mexico’s labour (STPS) and economy (SE) ministries have announced the “successful closure” of a case involving allegations of labour rights abuses at a plant of US firm Goodyear Tyre and Rubber Co in Mexico’s San Luis Potosí state. In May, the Office of the US Trade Representative (USTR) asked Mexico to review whether workers’ rights at the plant were being violated, invoking the rapid response labour mechanism (RRM) of the US-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA). In an investigation, the findings of which were presented to the US in July 2023, the Mexican government found “the existence of certain actions by the company that could have constituted a denial of such rights”. Both governments agreed on a course of remediation for the company to address the issues, which have now been carried out. The USTR has also issued a statement in response to the resolution of the dispute, with US Trade Representative Katherine Tai stating that workers at the facility have been paid over US$4.2m in backpay and now have independent union representation.