The Third Tri-National Meeting on Labour Rights under CUSMA-USMCA-T-MEC brought together academics, lawyers, trade unionists, and representatives from Mexico, the United States, and Canada, to discuss challenges, successes, and reform opportunities in enforcing worker rights across North America.
“With its strong connections to the labour law community and its role as a hub for legal scholarship and public policy, Osgoode provides an ideal platform for this vital dialogue,” said Professor Sara Slinn of Osgoode Hall Law School, who co-organized the meeting alongside Mark Rowlinson of Goldblatt Partners LLP.
The renegotiated trade agreement, effective July 1, 2020, introduced a revised Labour Chapter and the innovative Facility-Specific Rapid Response Mechanism (RRM). While the RRM has emerged as a promising tool for enforcing labour rights, four years of implementation reveal gaps requiring reform to meet labour justice goals.
With the agreement’s six-year joint review approaching, participants convened on December 9-10, 2024, to evaluate its effectiveness. Discussions focused on updates on Mexico’s labour law reforms, case studies under the RRM, comparisons of practical outcomes versus theoretical expectations of the Labour Chapter, and practitioner and academic insights on addressing challenges. Moderated discussions also explored options for reform.
This meeting underscored the critical importance of prioritizing workers’ rights in trade agreements. By assessing current mechanisms and exploring potential reforms, participants aimed to shape the future of labour rights enforcement across North America.
Financial support for this Workshop provided by: the Nathanson Centre on Transnational Human Rights, Crime and Security at Osgoode Hall Law School, York University; the Labour Program of Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC); the Canadian Association of Labour Lawyers; the Centre for Industrial Relations & Human Resources at the University of Toronto; Goldblatt Partners LLP; Unifor, Osgoode Hall Law School, York University.