The International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM Union), representing over 600,000 members in North America, has urged the U.S. Trade Representative to enhance labor enforcement and job protections as part of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) six-year review.
In comments submitted for the review, IAM Union called for stronger labor enforcement measures in Mexico and changes to rules that allow offshoring of manufacturing jobs. The union argued that current provisions do not sufficiently protect well-paid union jobs in the United States and Canada.
“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 union’s submission recommends expanding the Rapid Response Mechanism (RRM) to cover more workers and improve labor rights in Mexico. It also calls for extending Labor Value Content requirements to sectors such as aerospace and shipbuilding, along with tightening rules of origin to stop non-USMCA content from entering duty-free supply chains.
In its filing, IAM Union stated: “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 Union previously opposed both NAFTA and USMCA when they were adopted.
IAM represents members across various industries including aerospace, defense, airlines, shipbuilding, railroad, transit, healthcare, automotive and more throughout the United States and Canada.
