<html><head><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"></head><body style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;" class=""><div style="margin: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><o:p class=""><i class=""> Two statements below...</i></o:p></div><div style="margin: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><o:p class=""><br class=""></o:p></div><div style="margin: 0in;" class=""><o:p style="font-size: 14.666666984558105px;" class=""><font face="Calibri, sans-serif" class=""><a href="https://aflcio.org/press/releases/gm-silao-facility-workers-vote-overwhelmingly-join-independent-union" class="">https://aflcio.org/press/releases/gm-silao-facility-workers-vote-overwhelmingly-join-independent-union</a></font></o:p></div><div style="margin: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><o:p class=""><div id="block-afl-page-title" style="box-sizing: inherit;" class=""><header class="article-header container" style="box-sizing: inherit; position: relative; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; padding-right: 15px; padding-left: 15px; width: 1140px; max-width: 100%; padding-top: 4rem;"><div class="row" style="box-sizing: inherit; display: flex; flex-wrap: wrap; margin-right: -15px; margin-left: -15px;"><div class="content-col" style="box-sizing: inherit; position: relative; width: 760px; min-height: 1px; padding-right: 15px; padding-left: 15px; flex: 0 0 66.66667175292969%; max-width: 66.66667175292969%; margin-left: 190px;"><h1 style="box-sizing: inherit; font-size: 2.2rem; margin: 0px 0px 2rem; font-family: inherit; line-height: 1.1; color: inherit;" class=""><span style="box-sizing: inherit;" class="">GM Silao Facility Workers Vote Overwhelmingly to Join Independent Union</span></h1></div></div></header></div></o:p></div><div style="margin: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><o:p class=""><br class=""></o:p></div><div style="margin: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><o:p class=""><p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 1rem; caret-color: rgb(55, 58, 58); color: rgb(55, 58, 58); font-family: "Proxima Nova", "Helvetica Neue", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 18px;" class=""><span style="box-sizing: inherit;" class=""><span style="box-sizing: inherit;" class=""><span style="box-sizing: inherit;" class=""><span style="box-sizing: inherit;" class=""><span style="box-sizing: inherit;" class=""><em style="box-sizing: inherit;" class=""><span style="box-sizing: inherit;" class="">Statement from AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler on the decisive vote in favor of the SINTTIA union by workers at the General Motors’ (GM’s) facility in Silao, Mexico: </span></em></span></span></span></span></span></p><p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 1rem; caret-color: rgb(55, 58, 58); color: rgb(55, 58, 58); font-family: "Proxima Nova", "Helvetica Neue", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 18px;" class=""><span style="box-sizing: inherit;" class=""><span style="box-sizing: inherit;" class=""><span style="box-sizing: inherit;" class=""><span style="box-sizing: inherit;" class=""><span style="box-sizing: inherit;" class=""><span style="box-sizing: inherit;" class=""><span style="box-sizing: inherit;" class="">The brave workers at GM’s Silao assembly plant have voted resoundingly for real change at work. This win, made possible by the reforms we helped negotiate into the United States</span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="box-sizing: inherit;" class=""><span style="box-sizing: inherit;" class=""><span style="box-sizing: inherit;" class=""><span style="box-sizing: inherit;" class=""><span style="box-sizing: inherit;" class=""><span style="box-sizing: inherit;" class=""><span style="box-sizing: inherit;" class="">–Mexico–Canada Agreement</span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="box-sizing: inherit;" class=""><span style="box-sizing: inherit;" class=""><span style="box-sizing: inherit;" class=""><span style="box-sizing: inherit;" class=""><span style="box-sizing: inherit;" class=""><span style="box-sizing: inherit;" class=""><span style="box-sizing: inherit;" class="">, is a significant victory not only for workers in Mexico but around the world. The National Independent Union for Workers in the Automotive Industry (SINTTIA), which now represents more than 6,000 employees at the plant and was the only independent union on the ballot, </span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="box-sizing: inherit;" class=""><span style="box-sizing: inherit;" class=""><span style="box-sizing: inherit;" class=""><span style="box-sizing: inherit;" class=""><span style="box-sizing: inherit;" class=""><span style="box-sizing: inherit;" class="">has committed to democratic union practices and accountability to its members in the collective bargaining process. </span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 1rem; caret-color: rgb(55, 58, 58); color: rgb(55, 58, 58); font-family: "Proxima Nova", "Helvetica Neue", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 18px;" class=""><span style="box-sizing: inherit;" class=""><span style="box-sizing: inherit;" class=""><span style="box-sizing: inherit;" class=""><span style="box-sizing: inherit;" class=""><span style="box-sizing: inherit;" class=""><span style="box-sizing: inherit;" class="">Together, in a democratic union, workers will advocate for higher wages and improved health and safety standards at the Silao facility, helping to set new standards in the automobile industry. The election itself set a hard-won precedent and came only after workers voted to throw out a previous contract that had poor benefits and was negotiated without the workers’ input. Workers overcame gross intimidation and election meddling, and their triumph is an example of what happens when workers stand together. This vote represents a rejection of the past and a new era for Mexican workers’ right to associate freely. </span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 1rem; caret-color: rgb(55, 58, 58); color: rgb(55, 58, 58); font-family: "Proxima Nova", "Helvetica Neue", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 18px;" class=""><span style="box-sizing: inherit;" class=""><span style="box-sizing: inherit;" class=""><span style="box-sizing: inherit;" class=""><span style="box-sizing: inherit;" class=""><span style="box-sizing: inherit;" class=""><span style="box-sizing: inherit;" class="">We will continue to observe the situation closely, and we look forward to working together with SINTTIA to improve the </span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="box-sizing: inherit;" class=""><span style="box-sizing: inherit;" class=""><span style="box-sizing: inherit;" class=""><span style="box-sizing: inherit;" class=""><span style="box-sizing: inherit;" class=""><span style="box-sizing: inherit;" class=""><span style="box-sizing: inherit;" class="">lives and livelihoods of workers in Mexico and the United States. </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p></o:p></div><div style="margin: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><o:p class=""><br class=""></o:p></div><div style="margin: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-align: center;" class=""><img id="Picture_x0020_1" apple-inline="yes" src="cid:image001.png@01D81915.6BBD5F10" class=""><o:p class=""></o:p></div><div style="margin: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-align: center;" class=""><b style="font-size: 11pt;" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;" class="">U.S. Congressman Bill Pascrell, Jr.</span></b></div><div style="margin: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-align: center;" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;" class="">For Immediate Release<br class="">February 3, 2022</span><o:p class=""></o:p></div><div style="margin: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><b class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;" class="">Media Contacts:</span></b><o:p class=""></o:p></div><div style="margin: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><a href="mailto:Mark.Greenbaum@mail.house.gov" style="color: rgb(5, 99, 193);" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;" class="">Mark.Greenbaum@mail.house.gov</span></a><o:p class=""></o:p></div><div style="margin: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><span style="font-size: 10.5pt;" class=""> </span><o:p class=""></o:p></div><p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-align: center;"><b class=""><span style="font-size: 22pt; font-family: Cambria, serif;" class="">Pascrell, Blumenauer, Kildee Praise Successful Autoworkers Union Vote in Mexico<o:p class=""></o:p></span></b></p><div style="margin: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-align: center;" class=""><i class=""><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: Cambria, serif;" class="">Mexican workers in General Motor facility defy odds and intimidation in fight for higher wages, better conditions, and real representation<o:p class=""></o:p></span></i></div><div style="margin: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-align: justify;" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Cambria, serif;" class=""> </span></div><div style="margin: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-align: justify;" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Cambria, serif;" class="">WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Reps. Bill Pascrell, Jr. (D-NJ-09) and Earl Blumenauer (D-OR-03), the Chairman of the House Ways and Means Subcommittees on Oversight and Trade, respectively, and Dan Kildee (D-MI-05), also a member of the trade and tax-writing panel, today reacted positively to the successful independent unionization efforts of workers at the General Motors plant in Silao, Mexico, where General Motor trucks are assembled amid negative conditions and assorted abuse. In response, the members issued the following joint statement.<o:p class=""></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-align: justify;" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Cambria, serif;" class=""> </span></div><div style="margin: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-align: justify;" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Cambria, serif;" class="">“This week the workers at the General Motors auto plant in Silao, Mexico showed bravery in the face of intimidation and harassment by voting overwhelmingly for a new independent union, marking a significant step forward for worker rights in Mexico. We congratulate the workers for organizing an independent union to fight for improved pay, benefits, and working conditions. This win is a warning to anyone seeking to undermine rights in Mexico that corrupt protection unions will no longer be the norm. The outcome of this vote is also a boon to American workers who have suffered from multinational corporations moving jobs offshore.<o:p class=""></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-align: justify;" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Cambria, serif;" class=""> </span></div><div style="margin: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-align: justify;" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Cambria, serif;" class="">“This vote would not have been possible without the tools included in the USMCA secured by House Democrats to enforce the agreement and the leadership of Ambassador Tai and President Biden. We will keep a close eye on USMCA implementation to ensure workers’ rights are protected. This historic election showed what is possible when workers come together and the government acts to protect workers’ voices and ensure workplace democracy. Companies in Mexico, including General Motors, must recognize this transformation taking place, respect new union representation and negotiate new contracts in good faith.”<o:p class=""></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-align: justify;" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Cambria, serif;" class=""> </span></div><div style="margin: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-align: center;" class=""><i class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Cambria, serif;" class="">###</span></i></div><div style="margin: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-align: center;" class=""><i class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Cambria, serif;" class=""><br class=""></span></i></div><div style="margin: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-align: center;" class=""><i class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Cambria, serif;" class=""><br class=""></span></i></div><br class=""><br class=""><div class="">
Arthur Stamoulis<br class="">Citizens Trade Campaign<br class="">(202) 494-8826<br class=""><br class=""><br class=""><br class="">
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