Congressman García, Labor and Faith Leaders Demand Justice for Mexican Unionists Murdered During NAFTA Renegotiations and Demand Revised NAFTA That Protects All North American Workers

Washington, D.C. — Congressman Jesús "Chuy" García (IL-04) joined labor and faith leaders at a press conference outside the U.S. Capitol to demand justice for the Media Luna gold mine unionists assassinated and disappeared in Mexico, and to call for stronger labor standards in the revised North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). Quintin Salgado, Marcelino Sahuanitla Peña and Víctor Sahuanitla Peña were murdered by anti-union vigilantes last year and the crimes remain unsolved. Now their colleague, labor and environmental activist Oscar Hernández Romero, has been missing since September 23, 2019.

"We have a responsibility to revise the original NAFTA agreement that has proven deeply damaging to the United States and Mexico. Since NAFTA was approved in 1994, nearly one million jobs have been lost in the U.S. Meanwhile, conditions for workers in Mexico have deteriorated. The disappearance of Oscar Hernandez Romero and the murder of his three colleagues is a painful reminder that workers in Mexico still need protection. Strong labor rights and enforcement in the renegotiated NAFTA would help counter the violence against workers and improve the lives of Mexican and U.S. working people. USMCA must have strong labor standards and enforcement, or it will not earn my vote," said Congressman García.

"I stand here as a follower of Christ asking lawmakers to hold strong and insist upon protections for workers in Mexico," said Sister Quincy Howard OP, representative of NETWORK Lobby for Catholic Social Justice. "They are the most vulnerable stakeholders in these negotiations and their treatment, in turn, impacts the fate of workers here in the U.S. In the face of the globalization of labor, Pope Francis calls for global solidarity in the fight against poverty and exploitation. Any lawmaker feeling pressure to accept the current offer needs to ask themselves how they would respond if American workers were being murdered by anti-union vigilantes."

"As we are negotiating a deal to replace NAFTA, we must use this opportunity to secure rights and justice for our brothers and sisters in Mexico. The Mexican government must do its part and investigate unresolved cases of violence against Mexican unionists. It means a commitment of real funding to ensure that legal changes to protect worker rights are implemented. And it means that the agreement must include a strong enforcement mechanism that covers all workers, works quickly and includes strong penalties for violators," said Communications Workers of America President Chris Shelton.

After decades of worker intimidation throughout Mexico and impunity for the perpetrators, Mexican manufacturing wages are now 40 percent lower than in China^[1]. U.S. firms have exploited these artificially low wages due to NAFTA's lack of enforceable labor rights.

The new Mexican government has pledged to improve wages and labor protections, but it has not provided necessary funds to implement them. In addition, powerful forces against change have launched lawsuits to derail an improved Mexican labor law. Since Donald Trump announced his NAFTA 2.0 deal last year, he has stonewalled congressional Democrats' calls to strengthen the agreement's labor rights and add real enforcement mechanisms to protect workers.