Statement from AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler on the decisive vote in favor of the SINTTIA union by workers at the General Motors’ (GM’s) facility in Silao, Mexico:
The brave workers at GM’s Silao assembly plant have voted resoundingly for real change at work. This win, made possible by the reforms we helped negotiate into the United States–Mexico–Canada Agreement, is a significant victory not only for workers in Mexico but around the world. The National Independent Union for Workers in the Automotive Industry (SINTTIA), which now represents more than 6,000 employees at the plant and was the only independent union on the ballot, has committed to democratic union practices and accountability to its members in the collective bargaining process.
Together, in a democratic union, workers will advocate for higher wages and improved health and safety standards at the Silao facility, helping to set new standards in the automobile industry. The election itself set a hard-won precedent and came only after workers voted to throw out a previous contract that had poor benefits and was negotiated without the workers’ input. Workers overcame gross intimidation and election meddling, and their triumph is an example of what happens when workers stand together. This vote represents a rejection of the past and a new era for Mexican workers’ right to associate freely.
We will continue to observe the situation closely, and we look forward to working together with SINTTIA to improve the lives and livelihoods of workers in Mexico and the United States.
Contact: Danielle Noel 202-637-5018