The International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM Union), which represents more than 600,000 members across North America, has called on the U.S. Trade Representative to take stronger measures to protect jobs and improve labor standards as part of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) review.
In its submission for the six-year joint review of the USMCA, the IAM Union highlighted ongoing concerns about weak labor enforcement in Mexico and rules that it says allow companies to offshore aerospace, manufacturing, and other jobs. The union previously opposed both NAFTA in the 1990s and the adoption of USMCA in 2019.
“The USMCA promised to lift standards for workers across North America, but too many companies are still chasing low wages and weak enforcement,” said IAM Union International President Brian Bryant. “It’s time for a trade policy that defends North American manufacturing, protects our workers, and ensures that every product bearing the USMCA label is truly made under fair conditions.”
The union’s filing urges expansion of the Rapid Response Mechanism to cover more workers in Mexico and reinforce labor rights. It also calls for extending Labor Value Content requirements beyond automotive manufacturing to include sectors like aerospace and shipbuilding. Additionally, IAM recommends tightening rules of origin so that products from outside USMCA countries do not enter supply chains duty-free.
In its statement submitted as part of the review process, IAM wrote: “Unfortunately, our concerns about USMCA have proven to be accurate: Mexican industrial wages remain lower than those in China, and offshoring of well-paid U.S. jobs continues, including many in the aerospace sector. Indeed, since USMCA was enacted, we have seen further erosion of good, middle-class, union jobs in the United States. In order to prevent this from continuing, we need to take vigorous action on a number of fronts during the upcoming review.”
IAM represents active and retired members working across various industries such as aerospace, airlines, defense manufacturing throughout both the United States and Canada.
