North American Agreement on Labor Cooperation Notice of Determination Regarding Review of Submission #2015-04

The Office of Trade and Labor Affairs (OTLA) gives notice that on January 11, 2016, Submission #2015-04 regarding Mexico was accepted for review pursuant to Article 16(3) of the North American Agreement on Labor Cooperation (NAALC). On November 12, 2015, the United Food & Commercial Workers Local 770, the Frente Aut[eacute]ntico del Trabajo, the Los Angeles Alliance for a New Economy, and the Project on Organizing, Development, Education, and Research, provided a submission to OTLA, through Change to Win, alleging violations of the NAALC by the Government of Mexico (GOM). U.S. Submission #2015-04 alleges that the GOM has failed to meet its obligations under the NAALC, including to effectively enforce its labor laws with respect to freedom of association, collective bargaining, discrimination, minimum labor standards, occupational safety and health, and workers' compensation and to ensure that its labor law proceedings are fair, equitable, and transparent. OTLA's decision to accept the submission for review is not intended to indicate any determination as to the validity or accuracy of the allegations contained in the submission. The objective of the review will be to gather information so that OTLA can better understand the allegations contained in the submission and publicly report on the issues raised therein in light of the GOM's obligations under the NAALC. As set out in the Procedural Guidelines (published as 71 FR 76691 (2006)), OTLA will complete the review and issue a public report to the Secretary of Labor within 180 days of this acceptance, unless circumstances, as determined by OTLA, require an extension of time.