AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler issued the following statement on the July 1, 2026, deadline to extend the United States–Mexico–Canada Agreement (USMCA):
When the USMCA was ratified in 2020, leaders promised it would be a course correction from the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), charting a trade policy based on respect for workers’ rights and fair competition rather than deepening the corporate-driven race to the bottom. But more than five years later, it is clear that the agreement has failed to address systemic labor exploitation in Mexico and end the corporate offshoring of good, union jobs. The AFL-CIO has made clear from the outset that the USMCA was a floor, not a ceiling, when it comes to standards for working people. We call on the Trump administration to reject any extension of the USMCA without first securing major changes to the agreement to promote dignity and fair competition for workers across North America.
Contact: Steve Smith, 202-637-5018