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The Mexican Telephone Workers’ Union (Sindicato de Telefonistas de la República Mexicana, STRM), which is affiliated with UNI Global Union, has welcomed a significant decision from the Rapid Response Labour Mechanism (RRLM) Panel under the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA). The panel found that workers at the Atento Services call centre in Hidalgo, Mexico, were denied trade union and collective bargaining rights.
This outcome followed efforts by workers, STRM, and the National Workers’ Union (UNT), marking what they describe as an important milestone for labor rights in Mexico. Francisco Hernández Juárez, General Secretary of STRM, stated: “This achievement belongs to the workers who refused to be intimidated. With their courage and persistence they demonstrated that there are mechanisms to demand a genuine right to unionisation and trade union freedom.”
The RRLM Panel determined that Atento Services engaged in improper interference, discrimination, and created an environment of intimidation against those attempting to exercise their right to organize. The panel also noted that steps taken by Mexican authorities had not been enough to resolve these issues because of repeated non-compliance by Atento.
