Employees at an auto parts plant in Matamoros overwhelmingly voted to oust a longtime company union in favor of an independent union, marking the second major victory for independent unions under Mexican labor reform and the implementation of labor provisions under USMCA. The development could portend a “reconfiguration of the labor movement” in the region.
Background: In the high-profile election, 1,126 of 1,313 employees voted in favor of the independent union SNITIS. The auto parts company involved has been under scrutiny following American unions pushing for a labor complaint under the USMCA. SNITIS was founded by labor lawyer and congresswoman Susana Prieto, who led the “20/32” labor movement in 2019, requesting 20 percent wage increases and the payment of a bonus of 32,000 pesos ($1,532). The original movement precipitated a series of stoppages and strikes in at least 45 maquiladoras (manufacturing plants) in Matamoros.
The significance of the vote: Matamoros is home to more than 122 manufacturing plants that import and assemble duty-free components for export. SINTIS, which has considerable influence and experience organizing in the region, expects similar victories against company unions in at least 6 additional collective bargaining agreements, including one with global giant Panasonic, within the maquiladoras industry.
Prieto will likely leverage her influence in the area and her connections with U.S. and international unions to move forward with her political agenda. According to Prieto, this second major victory “sets a precedent for the entire north” of the country in terms of union freedom and democratization that could impact the 33 municipalities in which the union is located, “so that workers can finally have justice, better benefits and wages.”
Outlook: “There will be a reconfiguration of the union movement in the region and beyond,” commented Cirila Quintero Ramírez, a researcher at the Colegio de la Frontera Norte. Global employers with facilities in northern Mexico should take note of the developments as SINTIS and other independent unions could seek representation beyond the city.