Mexico’s Economy Ministry has accepted a request by the United States to probe into alleged labor abuses claims at an auto parts factory in the northern border city of Reynosa belonging to Panasonic Holdings Corp. (TYO: 6752).
Earlier in the month, the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) requested for the probe. This request went down as the third U.S labor complaint under a new trade deal that aims to improve workplace conditions in Mexico.
The Economy Ministry in Mexico says it sent its response on the request last week and it will be reviewing the case with the Labor Ministry to determine if worker rights had been violated under the 2020 United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA).
The matter at hand was petitioned for inquiry by a Mexican Union, SNITIS, which accused Panasonic of signing a union contract behind workers’ backs and of firing several dozen employees who protested.