PROCESS The union representing cement workers has begun the process across Mexico to validate existing collective bargaining agreements something that makes it the first industry complying with the new Labor Justice Reform and terms within the new US, Mexico and Canada trade deal (USMCA).
UNIVERSE Representing a total of 39,000, the union represents workers in cement and related industries in around 32 facilities throughout the country belonging to Cemex, Lafarge Holcim, Cementos Moctezuma, Cementos Cruz Azul, Cementos Fortaleza and Cementos de Chihuahua.
THOUSANDS Despite no official data on the total number of collective bargaining agreements currently effective, the Mexican Ambassador to the US has floated a ballpark figure of 700,00. Unions have until May 2023 to legitimize them through a process that includes an employee vote.
OBJECTION “We sued against some changes [in the new Labor Justice Reform]. For example: against the fact of making union dues were voluntary. This, because an organization [like an union] cannot work without resources”, says Felipe Sosa, leader of the cement workers union.
