VU Manufacturing agrees to worker rights plan at Mexican factory

As part of the agreement, Mexico's government will initiate sanctions proceedings, an action praised by U.S. officials. "This will send a strong message beyond this facility," Thea Lee, deputy undersecretary for international affairs at the U.S. Labor Department, said in a statement.

The United States and Mexico on Friday announced an agreement to address a U.S. labor trade complaint at the VU Manufacturing auto parts plant in northern Mexico that requires the firm to allow free association rights for the factory's workers.

The U.S. Department of Labor said in a statement the agreement includes a commitment by VU Manufacturing to respect workers' choice of union representation, a key tenet of the 2020 United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) trade pact. As part of the agreement, Mexico's government will initiate sanctions proceedings, an action praised by U.S. officials.

"This will send a strong message beyond this facility," Thea Lee, deputy undersecretary for international affairs at the U.S. Labor Department, said in a statement. As well, VU Manufacturing agreed to "take appropriate action" against human resource staffers who have violated worker rights, including the possibility of firing them.

Unlisted company VU Manufacturing, which is based in Michigan, did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Mexico had previously found

"serious irregularities" at the plant, which it has now investigated twice in response to worker complaints under the USMCA.