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NAFTA Report Cites Dana Corp. in Small Step for Justice in Mexico

22 March 1999

NAFTA Report Cites Dana Corp. in Small Step for Justice in Mexico

    PITTSBURGH, March 22 -- The first-ever review within Canada
of Mexico's adherence to NAFTA's labor side agreement has been completed,
recommending labor ministers of the two countries meet on serious occupational
hazards and violations of workers' rights to freely organize at major
automotive supplier Dana Corp.
Responding to a complaint by a coalition of unions and other groups, the
Canadian National Administrative Office report echoes the findings of a
parallel U.S. Labor Dept. body last year.  While the U.S. NAO's report was
sharper in its criticism of the company and of Mexican labor practices, the
successful pursuit of a first NAFTA labor complaint within Canada demonstrates
the serious injustices that persist under five years of free trade.
    "This is our strongest weapon to expose the horrors facing workers who try
to organize in Mexico, and we vigorously pursue such cases," said United
Steelworkers President George Becker.  "But at the end of the day, dozens of
workers have still lost their jobs.  Concrete action to address violations of
their basic human rights is minuscule.  NAFTA is driving down conditions for
workers throughout North America."
    "This represents two years of effort by coalitions in three countries,
complaints before two national panels, expert witnesses, affidavits and
independent government research," said Lawrence McBrearty, the union's
Canadian director.  "But it still fails to produce some tangible protection
for workers."
    The complaint under NAFTA's side agreement has been pursued by the Dana
Workers Alliance, a tri-national coalition of unions with about 15,000 workers
at Dana.  In Canada, the complaint was shouldered by the Steelworkers with
support from 40 labor, human rights and church organizations.  Other Alliance
participants include the United Autoworkers, United Electrical Workers, PACE
Intl. Union and Mexico's Authentic Labor Front.
    Issued March 12, the Canadian NAO report details major problems with
asbestos exposure and inadequate protective masks, failure to label hazardous
substances in Spanish and numerous other health and safety questions.  The NAO
issued the first half of its report in December, with pointed remarks about
Mexico's failure to conduct secret-ballot elections when workers seek to
unionize.
    The complaint is based on conditions at ITAPSA, a brake plant near Mexico
City owned by Dana.  Workers sought to organize an independent union there in
1997, and were subjected to violent intimidation by management and the
government-linked union known as CTM.
    While the NAO report upholds most of the Alliance's complaints, McBrearty
protested NAO officials' meetings with Mexican officials and even a plant tour
in January, without the participation of the petitioning unions.  Such
meetings seriously harm the open information exchange which is integral to the
NAO process.
    "The rights of workers and petitioners in this process are in doubt when
closed meetings are held," McBrearty said.
    ITAPSA has grown in importance as a test of workers' rights to freely
organize.  The Dana Workers Alliance is building solidarity to support further
organizing at the company and respond to threats that arise at existing union
plants.