The following resolution passed at the UAWD Mid-Year General Membership Meeting held on January 30, 2022.
Whereas, the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) consolidated Canada, the United States of America, and Mexico into one economic zone that has resulted in massive changes in the structure of the automotive industry, allowing companies to transfer much manufacturing capacity from Canada and the United States to Mexico.
Whereas, the wages in Mexico are less than in Canada and the United States and the transfer of auto manufacturing jobs to Mexico has diminished membership in UNIFOR and the UAW.
Whereas, the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) that has replaced NAFTA has stronger protections of labor rights than NAFTA, and Mexican President AMLO has promised to support independent unions free of the ossification of traditional Mexican auto unions Mexican workers are moving away from, including recently at a General Motors plant in Silao, Guanajuato.
Whereas, the success of the labor movement is predicated on uniting all workers, and strong labor connections in North America can transform conditions for autoworkers everywhere for the better by weakening management power to play workers in different jurisdictions against each other.
Whereas, the UAW calls itself an international union and UAWD is committed to an international labor movement.
Be it resolved that UAWD will push the UAW to materially support independent auto worker unions in Mexico.