GM Mexico workers at the automaker’s Silao Assembly plant are fighting to replace their union over safety concerns, a lack of COVID-19 safety protocols and low wages.
According to Bloomberg, a group of employees at the Silao plant want to unseat the current union, which is part of a broader Mexican labor union called the Confederation of Mexican Workers, or CTM. The publication says it spoke to five employees regarding the matter, who expressed concern over a lack of COVID-19 safety protocols at the plant. One employee said workstations are not socially distanced, while another said a co-worker was ordered to return to work after contracting COVID-19 and was not re-tested for the contagious disease.
There are also safety concerns unrelated to the COVID-19 pandemic. One GM Mexico employee told Bloomberg she was not provided with a fire retardant uniform when she joined the workforce there and has suffered burns on her legs as a result. She has also developed back problems as she was not provided with the right footwear, the employee said.
Wage-related complaints are exacerbating the situation, as well. A separate employee said employees at the Silao plant typically make less than $25 a day and that this wage is not enough to support her family. GM workers in the U.S. and Canada make anywhere from $18 to $32 per hour, depending on their seniority level.
The CTM union has sought to push through a contract and has told workers that GM will leave Mexico if workers do not validate the collective bargaining agreement. The union attempted to hold a vote over the contract in April, which was shut down by the Mexican Labor Ministry after it discovered unused ballots had been destroyed. The ministry then requested to see the ballots that had already been cast, but the union refused.
Bloomberg also spoke to an employee who said 19 of her colleagues were fired after they attempted to organize a new union in opposition to the CTM.
The CTM says it is now looking to hold another vote for a new agreement with GM and pledged to comply with local legal orders and remain transparent throughout the voting process.
In a statement sent to Bloomberg, GM said it “respects and supports the rights of our employees to make a personal, free, secret and direct response in regards to its union representation.”
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Comments
Mary Barra loves to exploit unfair work conditions in other countries, it’s her go to move. Mary ‘s path to lowercase gm success. 1) ride out the tax payer bailouts. 2)Pretend to care about equal rights. 3) pretend to care about the environment. 4) exploit workers in foreign countries. 5) lay off workers in her own country. 6) short term profit with longer term instability. 7) push BEVs to get more taxpayer bailouts…
How’s that Lordstown Motors investment going? This lowercase gm board would be hilarious if it wasn’t so sad. Can’t wait til double-talking Mary Antoinette is ousted.
You have zero clue what you are talking about and pretty clear no business/finance sense. All companies exploit the cheap foreign labor first off, nothing new or special the way GM does it. You voted for Biden I can see, that is what happens when you try and make it so american businesses have to look elsewhere to lower costs.
The way you wrote all that jibberish that sure comes off as that kid shockandaww under a new name… Just one look at the GM’s books and business model compared to the industry should tell you how incorrect your statement is and that you are just some woman hating hurt by a previous GM vehicle troll. Take that nonsense somewhere else.
Speaking of jibberish, I see you’re fluent.
Sounds as though the Mexican unions are as corrupt as the ones in the states. Pathetic.
BULLS EYE!
Expect even more to flock out as well when Biden raise the taxes for everyone in the next year
And you can make a couple hundred a day wading people across the Rio Grande,oh I forgot the border is closed according to the border czar scamilla
The only North American car manufacturer that didn’t need a government bailout was the family owned FORD Motor Co. Their smarter business strategies and planning ahead for a market recession in 2008, saved their business, no government assistance was required. Unfortunately, GM and Chrysler are not managed as good as FORD. That’s why they are constantly being bailed out by our government.
you must have missed this. Ford took $6B government loan in 2009 and debt still haunts company
Ahhh, general Mexico at it again. $25 a day, 40K Terrain lol
And that is true about the ford debt.
They’ll be sorry if they do. Unions are a big part of making autos. Always have been, pretty much. And Mary is whip-sawing the plant against others? Really? Gee Mary, get with it. Guess your billions a year isn’t enough. Oh, forgot, your a bean counter. Unions have been. and always will be needed in car plants. Just too big an operation not to have them. I worked there close to 30 years, so I do have some experience with it. Shame on you Mary!
the transplant auto plants in the USA don’t seem to have any problems with no unions.
Unions are a cancer in established nations. We have a Dept of Labor to watch over employees (won’t use the marxist – “workers”) but Mexico is corrupt so they have these issues. We have 5% of the worlds population and 70% of the lawyers, we have established labor laws… they are not needed.
GM/F/Stelantis are the only US Mfr’s burdened w/the cancer of the corrupt UAW… a
Spoken like a true pencil pusher that has never gotten her hands dirty or worked a real job.
Mary Barry is that you??
the unions use the workers dues money to play in politics and not to benefit the workers. this is why beden wants more people belonging to unions.
Where is the Auto Workers member that is on the Board of GM all this time SILENT ?
Joe Ashton
I think he is in jail
Gm screwed over lordstown.
Gm mary is a little lamb.
Took their jobs and run.
Unions are pure corruption. Its about the same as the federal government. Bunch of suits sit around and take shares of the workers earned money. They dangle slightly lower health insurance premiums in front of people to make them feel better about the $5k in the mystical “union dues” that get paid. Leaving a union factory for a non union factory was the best decision I ever made.
GM mfg and sell more autos in China than USA the Unions are for Union Bosses Every major Automaker in the world has laborers in countries under 5 dollars a hour and sell Automobiles at 1000% Profit margin
NMK you have no clue what you are talking about. Slightly lower insurance premiums, I have zero premiums. $5000 in union dues, my dues for 2020 were 1082.54. The $9000 ratification bonus I got with our new contract in 2019 is far more than I will pay in dues during the 4 year contract. Is there corruption in the IUAW yes just like there is in all large organizations.
Sounds good and your productivity hasn’t changed in how long? So all that expense by gm is for zero productivity increases, which means higher costs, lower profits and lower market share OR move to other lower cost regions, which they’re doing. The UAW is a cancer which is why no transplant mfr has approved union representation.
Now with Quid Pro Jo Jo wanting to raise business taxes we’ll watch additional companies move back out of the US. All QPJ voters are morons…
Don’t worry China Joe Biden cares about you! For all the brainwashed UAW people that voted for this clown, you do realize corrupt politicians like Joe has made big amounts of money helping companies move to China, and Mexico for lower wages right! And some day you will be out of a job because of it!
you are correct as biden must have a hell of a good financial adviser to get as rich as he is on less than $175 K a year salary.
No financial advisor for ”the big guy” he used a crackhead named Hunter ”the smartest person he ever knew”.