The International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM Union), representing about 600,000 members in North America, has urged the U.S. Trade Representative to strengthen labor enforcement measures and job protections as part of the upcoming six-year review of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA).
In comments submitted for the joint review, the IAM Union stated that weak labor enforcement in Mexico and insufficient rules regarding product origin continue to put union jobs at risk in both the United States and Canada. The union previously opposed both USMCA during its adoption in 2019 and NAFTA in the early 1990s.
“The USMCA promised to lift standards for workers across North America, but too many companies are still chasing low wages and weak enforcement,” said IAM Union International President Brian Bryant. “It’s time for a trade policy that defends North American manufacturing, protects our workers, and ensures that every product bearing the USMCA label is truly made under fair conditions.”
The IAM Union’s filing calls for expanding and strengthening the Rapid Response Mechanism to improve labor rights in Mexico, extending Labor Value Content requirements to sectors such as aerospace and shipbuilding, and tightening rules of origin so that non-USMCA content does not enter duty-free supply chains.
The union’s statement also noted: “Unfortunately, our concerns about USMCA have proven to be accurate: Mexican industrial wages remain lower than those in China, and offshoring of well-paid U.S. jobs continues, including many in the aerospace sector. Indeed, since USMCA was enacted, we have seen further erosion of good, middle-class, union jobs in the United States. In order to prevent this from continuing, we need to take vigorous action on a number of fronts during the upcoming review.”
IAM represents active and retired members across industries including aerospace, airlines, defense, manufacturing, shipbuilding, railroad, transit, healthcare, automotive and others throughout the United States and Canada.
