GM workers in Mexico pick new union in historic vote

Record ID: 1658127

  • Title: GM workers in Mexico pick new union in historic vote
  • Date: 3rd February 2022
  • Summary: TOKYO, JAPAN (FEBRUARY 4, 2022) (REUTERS) PROTESTERS HOLDING BANNER READING (English/Japanese): "NO! BEIJING / STOP UYGHUR GENOCIDE / NOT QUALIFIED TO HOST THE OLYMPICS" PROTESTERS HOLDING BANNERS AND FLAGS IN FRONT OF CHINESE EMBASSY PROTESTER CHANTING SLOGAN ON MEGAPHONE PROTESTER HOLDING SIGN READING (English): "BOYCOTT BEIJING 2022 / TIBET, UYGHUR, SOUTH MONGOLIA, CHAN
  • Embargoed: 17th February 2022 23:53
  • Keywords: GM plant SINTTIA Silao Union trade wages
  • Location: SILAO, GUANAJUATO, MEXICO
  • City: SILAO, GUANAJUATO, MEXICO
  • Country: Mexico
  • Topics: Company News Markets,South America / Central America,Economic Events
  • Reuters ID: LVA003FX4H3K7
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: EDITORS PLEASE NOTE: PART VIDEO QUALITY AND AUDIO AS INCOMING
    An upstart union supported by international activists on Thursday (February 3) won an election to represent General Motors workers in central Mexico, opening the door to the prospect of bigger pay rises, inspired by U.S.-backed labour reform.
    The election was one of the first under the new Mexican law, which underpins a trade deal with the United States and Canada, and aims to help improve pay by breaking the grip of unions that critics say signed deals with companies behind workers' backs.
    The union known as SINTTIA won 78% of the votes cast by several thousand workers at GM's plant in the city of Silao, beating three rivals including Mexico's biggest labour organization that had held the plant contract for 25 years.
    Workers say they chose SINTTIA to push out the past union, which employees said did little to help its members, a frequent charge by workers and activists about so-called "protection" unions that they say prioritise business interests.
    U.S. lawmakers hailed the vote as a win for Mexican and U.S. workers under the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) trade deal, with representatives Bill Pascrell, Earl Blumenauer and Dan Kildee.
    GM, which employs 6,300 people in Silao, said it would work with SINTTIA to begin a contract negotiation and thanked employees for voting.
    SINTTIA is looking at some of Mexico's few independent auto unions as models to achieve better wages and working conditions.
    (Production: Luis Negrete, Carlos Carrillo, Geraldine Downer)
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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