The International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM Union), which represents around 600,000 active and retired members in North America, has called on the U.S. Trade Representative to take stronger action during the upcoming six-year review of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA). The union is urging improvements in labor enforcement, higher wage standards, and measures to prevent offshoring of jobs in aerospace, manufacturing, and related sectors.
In comments submitted for the USMCA review, the IAM Union argued that current labor enforcement in Mexico remains weak and that existing rules allow non-USMCA content into duty-free supply chains. The union had previously opposed both NAFTA and USMCA at their respective adoptions.
“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 filing recommends expanding the Rapid Response Mechanism to protect more workers’ rights in Mexico, extending labor value content requirements to cover additional sectors such as aerospace and shipbuilding, and tightening rules of origin.
“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,” according to the IAM Union’s statement.
The IAM Union remains one of North America’s largest industrial trade unions with members working across multiple industries including aerospace, defense, airlines, shipbuilding, railroads, transit systems, healthcare services and automotive manufacturing throughout both the United States and Canada.
