<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: 0px; caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;" class=""><b class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; color: rgb(51, 51, 51);" class="">U.S. files first USMCA labor-review request to Mexico in services sector<u class=""></u><u class=""></u></span></b></div><div style="margin: 0px; caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;" class=""></div><div style="margin: 0px; caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;" class=""><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;" class="">Inside US Trade, 8/30/23<u class=""></u><u class=""></u></span></div><div style="margin: 0px; caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;" class=""><u class=""></u> <u class=""></u></span></div><div style="margin: 0px; caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;" class="">The U.S. has asked Mexico to review allegations that a Mexico City-based airline is denying pilots the right to freedom of association and collective bargaining, the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative said on Wednesday, announcing the first use of the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement’s rapid-response mechanism in the services sector.<u class=""></u><u class=""></u></span></div><div style="margin: 0px; caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;" class=""><u class=""></u> <u class=""></u></span></div><div style="margin: 0px; caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;" class="">The request follows a July 31 petition by the Asociación Sindical de Pilotos Aviadores de México, a Mexican union, alleging that the airline Mas Air “engaged in harassment, intimidation, and retaliation against workers because of their union affiliation,” according to <a href="https://insidetrade.com/sites/insidetrade.com/files/documents/2023/aug/wto2023_0717b.pdf" target="_blank" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://insidetrade.com/sites/insidetrade.com/files/documents/2023/aug/wto2023_0717b.pdf&source=gmail&ust=1694017700653000&usg=AOvVaw3gk0t5OybjIWZzt4vbbozJ" style="color: rgb(17, 85, 204);" class="">a statement</a> issued by USTR. The petition also charged “irregularities” in connection with a May 9 worker vote on a collective bargaining agreement, the statement adds.<u class=""></u><u class=""></u></span></div><div style="margin: 0px; caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;" class=""><u class=""></u> <u class=""></u></span></div><div style="margin: 0px; caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;" class="">In <a href="https://insidetrade.com/sites/insidetrade.com/files/documents/2023/aug/wto2023_0717a.pdf" target="_blank" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://insidetrade.com/sites/insidetrade.com/files/documents/2023/aug/wto2023_0717a.pdf&source=gmail&ust=1694017700653000&usg=AOvVaw2wNNfqGIKbd3GFbXStaOM9" style="color: rgb(17, 85, 204);" class="">its request</a>, the U.S. calls for review of “all actions” taken by Mas Air to support a different union or to retaliate against ASPA pilots, including asking them to resign “based in whole or part on their union activity,” among other actions by the airline or the company-aligned union.<u class=""></u><u class=""></u></span></div><div style="margin: 0px; caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;" class=""><u class=""></u> <u class=""></u></span></div><div style="margin: 0px; caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;" class="">“Workers’ ability to affiliate with the union of their choice is a key tenet of the freedom of association and collective bargaining rights the RRM is designed to protect,” USTR Katherine Tai said in the statement. “Today’s action highlights the United States is committed to safeguarding the labor rights enshrined in the USMCA across industries and sectors, including in services.”<u class=""></u><u class=""></u></span></div><div style="margin: 0px; caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;" class=""><u class=""></u> <u class=""></u></span></div><div style="margin: 0px; caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;" class="">The request marks the 13th time the U.S. has invoked the labor-review tool overall – and the third time Washington has used the tool to address concerns about a facility outside the autos sector.<u class=""></u><u class=""></u></span></div><div style="margin: 0px; caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;" class=""><u class=""></u> <u class=""></u></span></div><div style="margin: 0px; caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;" class="">Last week, the U.S. escalated one of those cases – for the first time <a href="https://insidetrade.com/node/177662" target="_blank" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://insidetrade.com/node/177662&source=gmail&ust=1694017700653000&usg=AOvVaw1m7Tk5mFJpKHWcgaaRm1F0" style="color: rgb(17, 85, 204);" class="">seeking a panel to evaluate</a> alleged worker rights violations after the Mexican government rejected an initial U.S. request. Mexico contends the request, which targeted a Mexican mine, falls outside the scope of the RRM because it centers on events that happened before USMCA’s entry into force. -- <i class="">Margaret Spiegelman</i> (<a href="mailto:mspiegelman@iwpnews.com" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(17, 85, 204);" class="">mspiegelman@<wbr class="">iwpnews.com</a>)</span></div><div style="margin: 0px; caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;" class=""><br class=""></span></div><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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