Press Releases

Ways and Means Committee Ranking Member Richard E. Neal (D-MA) released the following statement after the United States Trade Representative (USTR) announced its fourth request for a Rapid Response Labor Mechanism (RRM) panel under the United States Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), pertaining to a labor dispute at a facility operated by Pirelli Neumáticos: 

“Today’s use of the Rapid Response Mechanism demonstrates yet again how the tools of trade were reimagined in USMCA to turn a once vicious cycle into a virtuous one. For too long, employers in Mexico were able to manipulate fake unions and phony bargaining agreements to keep labor prices low, violating Mexican labor laws and undermining labor protections for workers throughout North America. Now, the RRM helps ensure that Mexican workers can not only negotiate better wages and working conditions for themselves, but that workers in Chicopee and Dearborn can too. 

“House Democrats proudly created the RRM and USTR has used the mechanism to maximum effect in protecting the rights of workers. Ambassador Tai has been a fierce and unwavering champion for workers’ rights throughout her tenure as USTR and today's decision underscores that record.”

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