September 25, 2026. The Office of the United States Trade Representative activated the Rapid Response Labor Mechanism (RRM) of the USMCA to request that Mexico review a potential denial of labor rights at the Yokohama Tire Manufacturing Mexico facilities, located in Coahuila. The measure responds to a petition filed by the Mexican Union of Independent Workers (Liga Sindical Obrera Mexicana) and the network of International Lawyers Supporting Workers, which points out acts of reprisal, unequal treatment toward union sympathizers, restrictions on access for delegates, irregularities in voting, dismissals, and non-compliance with the rubber manufacturing industry law contract.
The process is framed following the consultation to obtain the Certificate of Representativeness at the plant, in which the Confederation of Workers of Mexico obtained the majority of votes against the Mexican Union of Independent Workers. Despite this outcome at the polls, the Interagency Labor Committee for Monitoring and Enforcement of the United States determined there was sufficient information regarding previous alleged irregularities to process the appeal. As a consequence, the United States suspended the liquidation of customs entries for products coming from said tire manufacturing plant. The Mexican government has a period of ten days to accept the review and forty-five days to conclude the corresponding procedure.
Author: María del Pilar Martínez
